2026 NBA draft thread

[F Gump]

In terms of disposition, Cooper strikes me as being very Dirk like. If he makes strong relationships here, I could definitely see him being another of those loyal to a fault guys.

Re: Gump’s non-draft team building argument - if the Mavs are in any way going to be successful at that, then as you have also argued, it will be very important for them to have some success this year - both for attracting free agents and for building up our trade assets. No tanking, and 45-47 wins should be a realistic goal for them if the FO does a decent job this offseason.

This ^.

But I don't think it takes a one-in-a-million like Dirk. Top players are generally not that fickle. The instances where a top star player forced a trade because of "frustration over lack of winning" are not common at all, and tend to happen when he is already on his 3rd contract (year 10 in the league). The NBA has also added rules that give financial incentives to top players who remain on their original team, so I can't recall the last time a superstar forced his way out (except for way later in his career). 

We also tend to WAYYYYYYYY underestimate the value towards winning - and the drive to make it happen - that come with the superstar. The team with a superstar is a long ways towards being very good because they have that superstar, and because the superstar will do what it takes to will his team to wins. The Mavs already have that guy.

Where top players get away comes way more easily if a team won't pay them the max money they want, and the Mavs have made an art form of losing players because they just don't want to pay. NOT about too few wins, but about too few dollars.

CF is likely to run away if the Mavs get cheap. Otherwise, he'll be here for another decade. Or two.

As far as winning, yes we want the best player possible, but fortunately THIS pick isn't make or break. It's only one opportunity to try to get better. There will be MANY ensuing decisions besides that one that can also add talent. More picks offers help, but it's not what defines the ability to build a better team. If you lacks picks, you just have to find other ways to get better.