Mavericks Viewed as Contender in 2026 NBA Finals Odds After Landing No. 1 Overall Pick

The Dallas Mavericks are +2200 to win the NBA Finals next season after landing the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Cooper Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. / David Banks-Imagn Images

The 2024-25 season was a wild one for the Dallas Mavericks, and it didn't stop when the Mavs were eliminated from playoff contention in the Western Conference play-in tournament.

Dallas, after trading away Luka Doncic less than a full season removed from a run to the NBA Finals, won the draft lottery and will have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. So, the Mavs are in a prime spot to bring in a potential generational talent in Duke University forward Cooper Flagg.

Despite a ton of backlash from the Doncic trade, the Mavs actually fought their way into the play-in despite a litany of injuries. One of those injuries -- a torn ACL for guard Kyrie Irving -- could play a major impact on how good the Mavs are in the 2025-26 season.

However, oddsmakers are buying Dallas in the futures market after it landed the top pick in the draft. The Mavs are 12th in the odds to win the Finals at +2200 at DraftKings, ahead of teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons and other playoff squads from ths season.

Now, there is a long, long way to go for Dallas to be a contender, especially if Irving misses the entire season, but these odds are certainly a vote of confidence in Flagg helping get the franchise back on track.

The Mavericks still have a solid core with Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Dereck Lively II and others, and Flagg will bring some youth and athleticism on the wing to the roster.

The Mavs are a tricky team to consider in the futures market since Irving's status for the season is up in the air, but these odds suggest that they'll at least be a playoff team in the 2025-26 campaign.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on  BetStamp here.

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