Mock Draft Suggests Former 76er Moved in Wild Cooper Flagg Trade

Will the 2025 NBA Draft start with a major trade?

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

After the unpredictable Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade in early February, it’s reasonable to expect the unexpected at the 2025 NBA Draft. The consensus top prospect is 18-year-old prodigy Cooper Flagg. The Athletic’s Zach Harper projects the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs could engage in a blockbuster trade involving the Duke star.

“The Dallas Mavericks are trading the draft rights to Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and Caleb Martin to the San Antonio Spurs in exchange for the draft rights to Dylan Harper, the No. 14 pick in this draft, the Spurs’ 2026 first-round pick, a lottery protected 2028 first-round pick and Keldon Johnson. Film noir! That’s right. Harrison couldn’t help himself, and after getting skewered for not getting enough for Luka Dončić, he’s getting a lot of draft capital in return in this deal.”

While the Philadelphia 76ers aren’t involved in the potential trade, they would have had a small part in setting the groundwork. In February, Philadelphia dealt Caleb Martin to the Mavericks for Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick. Martin averaged 9.1 points and 4.4 rebounds during his 31 games with the 76ers.

With general manager Nico Harrison in the hot seat, it’s likely that the Mavericks will take the safe route of drafting Flagg. In turn, there is a high probability that San Antonio will select Dylan Harper. The true head-scratcher will be how the 76ers plan to use their third-overall pick. Top prospects include the likes of Khaman Maluach, Kon Knueppel, Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, and VJ Edgecombe.

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