How the Dallas Mavericks Could Impact the New NBA Tanking Proposals

If one of the proposed tanking rules had been in place last year, the Mavericks would not have Cooper Flagg.

Feb 14, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Former Duke Blue Devils player Cooper Flagg prior to the first half for a game against the Clemson Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The NBA is trying to do whatever it can to combat tanking. One of the big "issues" about the NBA right now is how many teams have zero desire to win games, choosing instead to chase losses, which gives them higher odds in the draft lottery.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Thursday that multiple ideas have been discussed about what can be done to limit tanking, and one of them is a direct result of the Dallas Mavericks winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery.

One idea proposed is that "Teams can’t pick top-4 the year after making conference finals." That is exactly what the Mavericks went through, as they made the NBA Finals in 2024, traded away Luka Doncic in 2025, then lost enough games to fall into the lottery for the 2025 NBA Draft. And then, on a 1.8% chance, they jumped to the first pick, which allowed them to take Cooper Flagg.

Flagg looks like a life raft for the Mavericks. This franchise would have zero hope of a future without Flagg, as Kyrie Irving is getting older and will be returning from an ACL injury, while they already traded away Anthony Davis. The team is currently 16 games below .500 and has lost 9 straight games; imagine how bad they'd be without Cooper Flagg.

Multiple sources with knowledge of Thursday's GM meeting as well as a late January Competition Committee meeting told ESPN that the following concepts have been discussed to curb tanking:

•First-round picks can be protected only top-4 or top-14+
•Lottery odds freeze at the… https://t.co/Vk2n1cSzde

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 19, 2026

READ MORE: Will Cooper Flagg Return From Injury as Mavericks Face Timberwolves?

There is No Good Solution For Tanking in the NBA

The draft is the best way for teams to improve, especially those in small markets. The new CBA has completely downgraded the impact of free agency, and the teams that have first-round picks to trade want to help their lottery odds.

Especially with a draft class as good as 2026's looks to be, every team wants a chance at a top pick. If they do implement new rules for 2027 or 2028, draft analysts don't project those classes to be anywhere near as good, so tanking won't be as prevalent.

Until smaller market teams can find ways to acquire superstars, tanking will always be a thing. Bad teams stay bad if they can't acquire the stars needed to be good, and it's a star-driven league. Free agency is dead, and trades are harder. The draft is the avenue they have to try to improve their team.

The Dallas Mavericks are one of many teams looking to prioritize their pick this year, but another rule being discussed is "No longer allowing a team to pick top 4 in consecutive years and/or after consecutive bottom-3 finishes." It won't be implemented this year, and the Mavs' pick in 2027 is currently owned by the Charlotte Hornets, but it is top-2 protected.

READ MORE: Mavericks Return From All-Star Break to Face Minnesota Timberwolves

Stick with MavericksGameday for more FREE coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the 2025-26 season

Follow MavericksGameday on Twitter and Austin Veazey on Twitter