Pairing Morez Johnson With Cooper Flagg Could Be 'Dangerous' for Dallas Mavericks

After months of speculation, the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft came and went on Tuesday night. The Dallas Mavericks left with Michigan's Morez Johnson Jr., a hybrid power forward/center who played under the Mavericks' new coach, Dusty May.

Johnson is a fantastic defender, arguably the best one in the draft, and his positional versatility in the frontcourt makes him intriguing. It should also be noted that Dusty May had his choice of his three former Michigan players and decided to go with Johnson. Yaxel Lendeborg and Aday Mara came off the board within the next three picks, so the NBA clearly valued them.

︀︀“I think it can get dangerous, us two on the court at the same time. I've been playing against Coop[er Flagg] for a very long time. I'm very excited and happy that I'm on the same side as him. Get some wins together.”

That's what Morez Johnson said after being drafted about playing with Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year. There's no doubt that defensively, a frontcourt of Johnson, Flagg, and Dereck Lively II can be the best defensive frontcourt in the NBA. That's an incredible amount of length, athleticism, and mobility in a frontcourt. It's going to be difficult to score on them if everyone stays healthy.

However, the fit offensively is rough. Johnson was arguably the worst fit of the lottery picks, as he made just 12 three-pointers last year, so if he plays power forward next to Lively or Daniel Gafford (if he's not traded), there's not going to be much space to operate for Flagg and Kyrie Irving. If he's playing center, which may be his best fit initially, they now have a three-man rotation at center and can't use everyone.

Dusty May is confident that Johnson can be a good spot-up shooter in the NBA, and he shot 78% at the free-throw line last season with good form. For now, though, his offensive fit in the NBA remains a major question mark.

Jun 23, 2026; New York, NY, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver greets the ninth pick in the 2026 NBA draft, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. after he was selected by the Dallas Mavericks at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Dallas Mavericks Will Need to Make Trades For This to Make Sense

Morez Johnson's best fit in the NBA may be as a small-ball center, as he has the physicality needed to still contend on the glass, and he can switch on the perimeter and still hold his own. That means the Mavs need to make some trades.

Daniel Gafford has been in constant trade rumors for a year now. Dallas tried attaching him with the 30th pick to trade up, but they ended up using future second-round picks to move up and draft Sergio de Larrea from Spain, giving them a boost in their backcourt.

Gafford is too good a player to dump his salary, but if they can get a high second-round pick or a protected first-round pick, they need to clear space from this frontcourt one way or another. P.J. Washington could be another trade candidate, as he's on a larger salary, and his positional versatility should be highly valued.

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