NBA Draft: Mavericks Jump, Grab Talent in Latest Mock

Amid All-Star break, there’s been plenty of NBA Draft talk as teams reposition themselves for pick down the home stretch of the season.

Dallas was the recipient of lottery luck last season, grabbing Cooper Flagg with just a 1.8% chance to grab the first pick. In the coming months, they’ll be hoping for the same, and in a recent mock draft they got just that.

In NBA Draft on SI’s post-trade deadline mock, Dallas jumped three spots to No. 4, and were faced with an interesting decision. They ultimately grabbed North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson, opting for who was likely the best talent available in favor of a position of need.

There’s little question that Dallas needs guard help. Even accounting for the eventual return of Kyrie Irving, the team needs a long-term option in the backcourt alongside Cooper Flagg. And the 2026 draft is especially strong in the guard department, offering names like Kingston Flemings, Darius Acuff Jr., Labaron Philon, Mikel Brown Jr. and plenty more.

Flemings specifically would be a solid option, with potentially the claim to being the best all-around guard with scoring, passing and defense. Even more, he’s hovering around the No. 4 range, if not for Wilson’s dominance.

Wilson’s effectively cemented himself in that spot for most, though, due to a combination of tools, production and upside. A 6-foot-10 athleticism-based forward, he’s averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. He’s been a menace on both ends, producing with a combination of bounce, length and motor.

Wilson's 3-point shooting and handling has left some to be desired, though his touch in the mid-range and general feel for the game leaves many to believe he's one of the higher upside players in the class. He did recently suffer a hand fracture, but is expected to be back for North Carolina this season, and it won't affect his long-term outcome.

For nearly every team, Wilson would be too talented to pass up fourth overall, even for the Mavericks. Both Flagg and Wilson would create one of the more fearsome forward duos league-wide, with both able to score, defend, pass and more alongside one another.

Dallas likely needs to swing for the fences at the '26 draft regardless of where they land, given they don't own all of their picks for the foreseeable future. For now, they hold the seventh-best draft odds after losing nine-straight games.

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