Can Dallas Mavericks Re-Add Talent at 2025 NBA Draft?

In 2018, the Dallas Mavericks very well could’ve seen the best two-man draft of all time, grabbing multiple perennial All-Stars with their only two picks.

In essentially trading up to No. 3, they grabbed jumbo guard Luka Doncic, who we now know to be one of the best players on Earth, with clear all-time trajectory. Their savviest move was grabbed Jalen Brunson at No. 33, who saw a rapid ascension to an eventual star himself, though he now dons orange with his blue.

Back in 2022, Brunson left Dallas for New York after the Mavericks passed on what would ultimately become a cost-effective deal for the franchise. And just weeks ago, the Mavericks tore down the NBA in trading Doncic to the Lakers — one of the more puzzling moves in recent sports memory.

Now, the team is left with a patchwork win-now core, and one that’s dealing with a laundry list of injuries at the moment while the new-look Western Conference surges. Oklahoma City remains a defensive force, the Rockets and Grizzlies are two up-and-coming squads who only stand to get better, and teams like the Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Warriors all added even more talent at the deadline.

At this point, it seems the only reinforcements headed to Dallas are those that will come from the NBA Draft. But can the NBA Draft really supplement their lost in the 2025 NBA Draft?

As it stands now, the Mavericks still rank No. 8 in the West win a positive 30-26 record. They still have legit stars in Kyrie Irving and center Anthony Davis, as well as a fairly talented core of role players in Dereck Lively, PJ Washington, Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, Max Christie and more.

Right now, the team is somewhat in the middle-ground between “go for it” and positioning for the draft. But all signs — including words echoed from the franchise following the superstar trade — point towards them doing the former. And they could have a great chance at making the postseason still with Irving as the leader.

Should that or something similar happen, the Mavericks will land a pick in the middle of the first round of the draft — not necessarily great positioning given just how much ground they need to make up.

While there’s certainly talent to be had in the ’25 draft, and the Mavericks’ scouting department has done its fair share of work in recent years, prospects still need plenty of time to develop. And Dallas needs talent now.

Few players ever have seen the immediate success that Doncic did. And the hard truth is that the Mavericks likely won’t see a player like that again for some time.

For now, fans will sit back and wait for things to play out. But there's no question Dallas has somewhat squandered an opportunity that took them deep into the postseason twice.

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