NBA analyst's one-word response to define Mavericks offseason

Mavericks undergoing massive changes with Cooper Flagg

"Nico Harrison had a hard time saying the right thing when he traded Luka Dončić, probably because there was no right thing to say. His decision to send out an in-prime superstar who'd just led his team to the Finals did not square with his plan to build a win-now roster," Hughes wrote.

"The Dallas Mavericks already had one of those, and Dončić was the centerpiece. Even if concerns about the five-time All-NBA first-teamer's conditioning and defense were legit, Harrison failed miserably by not canvassing the league for better offers than the one he got from the Los Angeles Lakers.

"The embattled GM did himself no favors after lucking into the pick that became Cooper Flagg, instead pretending as if that good fortune was part of a plan."

Regardless of the intention behind the moves over the past six months, the Mavericks find themselves with the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft helping lead the franchise.

They have an alpha to lead a team to a championship, but they need to put the players that best allow the Mavs to win a championship around him.

That will be a bigger challenge, and if it goes awry, it will cost Harrison his job.