The Dallas Mavericks front office is making tough decisions this offseason, and one young player’s future hangs in the balance. According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Mavs are actively shopping second-year Forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper in hopes of clearing roster space to re-sign veteran Guard Dante Exum.
For Prosper, this news has to sting. Just two years ago, he was the 24th overall pick with dreams of carving out a role in the league. Now, he finds himself as the odd man out in Dallas’s championship pursuit.
The harsh reality of professional basketball is hitting Prosper hard. Despite being drafted with high expectations as a defensive-minded wing who could develop into a reliable three-point threat, his NBA journey has been anything but smooth sailing.
Over 92 career games spanning two seasons, Olivier-Maxence Prosper has managed just 3.5 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest. Those numbers tell a story of a player still searching for his NBA identity. More concerning for Dallas decision-makers? His three-point shooting has been brutal, connecting on a dismal 26.0% from beyond the arc. In today’s NBA, those percentages simply won’t cut it for a wing player hoping to earn meaningful minutes.
The arrival of Cooper Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 overall pick, essentially sealed Prosper’s fate in Dallas. Both players occupy similar positions on the depth chart, but Flagg brings the pedigree and immediate impact potential that organizations covet.
Flagg isn’t just expected to contribute as a rookie. He is projected to handle significant ball-handling responsibilities while All-Star Point Guard Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL. That kind of versatility and trust from day one is exactly what Maxence Prosper hasn’t been able to establish during his time with the Mavericks.
The writing was on the wall the moment Dallas selected Flagg. Young players like Prosper understand that draft picks represent hope and future potential, while established players who haven’t proven themselves become expendable assets.
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