Western Notes: Dosunmu, Champagnie, Martin, Kawhi, Pelicans
Already missing Donte DiVincenzo (Achilles tear) and Anthony Edwards (knee bone bruise), the Timberwolves are in danger of playing without two more key members of their backcourt in Game 6 on Thursday. Having already listed Bones Hyland as questionable due to left knee soreness, Minnesota has now added Ayo Dosunmu to its injury report too. Dosunmu is questionable due to right calf soreness (Twitter link).
Hyland set new personal series highs by playing 23 minutes and scoring 15 points in Game 5, while Dosunmu played a major role in the Wolves’ two home wins in Games 3 and 4, scoring a total of 68 points on 23-of-32 shooting (71.9%) in those victories.
Missing one or both players would be a major problem for the Wolves, who would likely have to lean more heavily on Mike Conley, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Kyle Anderson as they try to win one more game to close out their series vs. Denver.
[UPDATE: Hyland has been upgraded to available.]
Here are a few more notes from around the Northwest:
- Spurs wing Julian Champagnie, who hasn’t missed a game since March 2024 and made 68 starts during the regular season, showed in Game 5 why he has become such an important role player, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). After scoring in single digits in each of the first four games of the series, Champagnie had 11 points in the first quarter – and 19 overall – in Tuesday’s series-clinching victory. “All series they made an emphasis on trying to limit his touches, not let him get any good looks,” teammate Stephon Castle said. “So when he finally got the ones he was deserving, he knocked them down. I felt like he was doing all the little things all series and I thought he deserved to start a game like that.”
- Mavericks wing Caleb Martin has new representation, having signed with CAA, the agency announced (via Twitter). Martin will become extension-eligible this offseason as he enters the third season of the four-year, $35MM+ contract he signed in 2024, but after averaging a career-low 3.9 points per game in a limited role in 2025/26, he’s an unlikely candidate for a new deal at this time.
- What could a Kawhi Leonard trade look like if the Clippers decide to move their star forward this summer? ESPN’s Zach Kram and Andre Snellings offer up four hypothetical scenarios involving Leonard, with Bobby Marks evaluating which package L.A. would be most likely to accept.
- The Pelicans are hiring Kurt Joseph away from Nebraska to serve as their new director of strength and conditioning, according to Amie Just of the Omaha World-Herald (subscription required). Previous reporting indicated that the Pelicans are making significant organizational changes this offseason, with several openings in the medical and performance department.
Cooper Flagg Looks Ahead As He Accepts Rookie Of The Year Award
Cooper Flagg said he’s typically gotten some advance notice when he’s won major awards in the past, but he had no idea what the results were going to be as he watched the Rookie of the Year announcement on Monday, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Flagg prevailed in a tight race, giving him the trophy that most observers expected him to win ever since he was the No. 1 pick in the draft last June.
“It was probably one of the first times I won an award and I had to find out with everyone else,” he said. “That was pretty cool.”
The Mavericks held a celebration on Wednesday attended by roughly 100 team employees as Flagg accepted the Wilt Chamberlain Trophy. Among those attending were teammates Kyrie Irving, Max Christie, Dereck Lively II, Brandon Williams and Caleb Martin.
“Coming into this year, we all had different expectations in how we thought the year would go,” Flagg said. “But all of that is in the past. I think it’s time to move forward. Continue to grow, continue to get better and have a high outlook on how next year can go. We are just going to put in the work all summer long. I think we’re all excited for it.”
Flagg received 56 first-place votes and edged former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in the second-closest Rookie of the Year race since the current voting format was adopted for the 2002/03 season. Flagg averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 70 games and set a single-game scoring record for a teenager by reaching 51 points against Orlando earlier this month.
Flagg told reporters that he and Knueppel stayed in communication throughout the season.
“Me and Kon, we talked all year long,” Flagg said. “We never talked about the Rookie of the Year or what people were saying about it or anything like that. It was more just support for one another and staying in contact. He’s someone who will be one of my best friends for the rest of my life.”
Flagg encountered a few challenges during his rookie season, including coach Jason Kidd‘s decision to have him play point guard for the first time in his life. Kidd, who was also at Wednesday’s event, said Flagg is always willing to do whatever is asked of him.
“He loves competition,” Kidd said. “He loves both ends. He’s not one about just offense. He’s about playing the game of basketball. You have to play defense. Taking on the No. 1 defensive player every night … to be able to do what he did is remarkable. Well-deserved award. I think it just sets the tone for his career.”
The Mavs tied for 11th in the West at 26-56, giving Flagg the first extended losing experience of his life. He’s determined to change that as quickly as he can and lead the franchise back to playoff contention.
He’s already looking forward to next season and addressed his plans to improve his game over the summer, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). He hopes to add to his offensive repertoire, including creating more opportunities with his dribble.
“I’m going to work on a lot of different things. There’s always room to improve,” Flagg said. “I think there’s a lot of growth I can make offensively, off the dribble, and making reads. I’m excited to get in the gym, especially with teammates, and keep building.”
Scotto’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Mavs, Connelly, Bulls, Nori, More
The Magic expressed interest in Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of this year’s trade deadline, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, confirming remarks that Kirk Goldsberry made on The Bill Simmons podcast last month. Goldsberry stated during that podcast appearance that Orlando had been “very active” in pursuing Antetokounmpo.
While Scotto doesn’t specify just how serious the Magic’s interest was, he notes that Antetokounmpo was originally drafted in Milwaukee by then-GM John Hammond, who currently serves as a senior advisor in Orlando. Hammond and Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman have long prioritized length and size when considering roster moves, Scotto adds.
It remains to be seen whether the Magic will revisit a potential Antetokounmpo trade this summer — the team’s approach to the offseason figures to hinge in part on how their playoff run ends. For what it’s worth, Scotto hears from league sources that Antetokounmpo and new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins are believed to have a good relationship.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of NBA intel:
- Scotto is the latest to confirm there’s a strong belief in league circles that the Mavericks are eyeing Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as a top candidate to run their front office. The Wolves have registered interest in locking up Connelly to a contract extension that keeps him in Minnesota for the foreseeable future, Scotto reports.
- If the Bulls end up hiring Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd to run their front office, watch out for Wolves assistant Micah Nori to emerge as a strong candidate for Chicago’s head coaching job, Scotto advises. Lloyd is rumored to be a finalist and a frontrunner to become the Bulls’ new head of basketball operations.
- The Wizards intend to promote their G League head coach, Cody Toppert, to an assistant role on Brian Keefe‘s staff for the 2026/27 season, according to Scotto. Toppert has some prior experience as an NBA assistant coach in Phoenix under Igor Kokoskov.
- As the Lakers make front office changes under new team owner Mark Walter, they’re looking to add at least one assistant general manager and possibly another high-ranking executive, per Scotto. Those execs would presumably work under president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who is expected to remain in his current role.
- The Pacers intend to promote director of college scouting Mike Born to help fill the void in the front office created by the departure of senior vice president of player personnel Ryan Carr earlier this year, league sources tell Scotto.
Cooper Flagg Named NBA Rookie Of The Year
Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg has been named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2025/26 season, the league announced today (Twitter link).
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft and the youngest player in the league, Flagg led all qualified rookies with 21.0 points per game while also contributing 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 33.5 minutes per night across 70 contests (all starts). According to the NBA (Twitter link), Flagg and Hall-of-Famer Michael Jordan are the only rookies since 1973 to lead their respective teams in total points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Flagg is the third player in Mavericks history to be named Rookie of the Year, joining Luka Doncic (2019) and his current head coach Jason Kidd (1995), per the team (Twitter link). Flagg, Jordan, and Doncic are the only three players in the past 45 years to average at least 20 points, six assists, and four rebounds per game as rookies.
Flagg narrowly beat out his former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after leading the NBA in total three-pointers (273). The Hornets swingman, drafted fourth overall last June, trailed Flagg in points (18.5), rebounds (5.3), and assists (3.4) per game, but scored his points more efficiently, shooting 47.5% from the floor, 42.5% on three-pointers, and 86.3% from the free throw line. Flagg’s shooting line was .468/.295/.827.
There was a sense that Knueppel’s historic shooting numbers and the Hornets’ relative team success might give him the edge. Charlotte finished 18 games ahead of Dallas in the NBA’s regular season standings, while Knueppel became the first rookie to ever lead the league in three-pointers.
However, Flagg was rewarded for his all-around contributions and the way he handled becoming the focal point of the Mavs’ offense with Anthony Davis traded and Kyrie Irving sidelined, gaining the upper hand with a strong finish to the season. From March 21 onward, Flagg averaged 25.5 PPG on 46.1% shooting and had separate games of 51 and 45 points, while Knueppel averaged 14.1 PPG on 39.1% shooting.
Flagg received 56 of 100 potential first-place votes and 412 total voting points, with Knueppel earning the other 44 first-place votes and 386 points (Twitter link). Since the current Rookie of the Year voting format was implemented in 2002/03, only the 15-point gap in ’21/22 – when Scottie Barnes edged out Evan Mobley – was smaller than this year’s 26-point margin.
Sixers guard VJ Edgecombe was nearly the unanimous third-place pick, receiving 93 third-place votes to go along with a single second-place vote. Spurs guard Dylan Harper (five third-place votes) and Grizzlies forward Cedric Coward (one third-place vote) were the only other players to appear on at least one Rookie of the Year ballot.
2026 NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results
Tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were broken on Monday through random drawings to determine the order for this year’s draft prior to the lottery.
The NBA has posted a video of the tiebreaking procedure (Twitter link). The results are as follows, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link):
- Utah Jazz (No. 4) over Sacramento Kings (No. 5)
- The Jazz’s pick will land in the top eight, meaning their obligation to the Thunder will be extinguished.
- New Orleans Pelicans (No. 7) over Dallas Mavericks (No. 8)
- The Pelicans will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Mavericks.
- The Pelicans’ pick will be sent to the Hawks (if it’s more favorable than Milwaukee’s) or Bucks (if it’s not).
- Phoenix Suns (No. 16) over Philadelphia 76ers (No. 17) over Orlando Magic (No. 18)
- The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Grizzlies.
- The Sixers’ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
- The Magic’s pick will be sent to the Hornets.
- Toronto Raptors (No. 19) over Atlanta Hawks (No. 20)
- The Hawks’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
- Houston Rockets (No. 22) over Cleveland Cavaliers (No. 23)
- The Rockets’ pick will be sent to the Sixers.
- The Cavaliers’ pick will be sent to the Hawks.
- New York Knicks (No. 24) over Los Angeles Lakers (No. 25)
While the tiebreaker winner will pick ahead of the loser(s) in the first round, that order will be flipped in the second round.
For instance, the Magic’s second-round pick will be at No. 46, followed by the Sixers’ pick (traded to Phoenix) at No. 47, and the Suns’ second-rounder (traded to the Mavericks) at No. 48 — that’s the opposite of their order in the first round.
For lottery teams that finished with identical records, the second-round order is still to be determined depending on the lottery results.
For example, if the Jazz’s first-round pick stays at No. 4 and the Kings’ first-rounder stays at No. 5, Sacramento’s second-round pick would be at No. 34 and Utah’s (traded to San Antonio) would be at No. 35. But if the Kings win the No. 1 overall pick on lottery night, moving ahead of Utah in the first round, then the Jazz’s second-round pick (to San Antonio) would be No. 34, while Sacramento would move down to No. 35.
We’ll publish the full lottery odds and pre-lottery draft order for 2026 later today.
NBA Announces Finalists For 2025/26 Awards
The NBA has announced the finalists for this season’s major awards, including Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, and Clutch Player of the Year.
The MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year finalists were announced at halftime of the NBC broadcast of Game 1 between the Pistons and Magic, while the league’s official account tweeted the rest.
Most Valuable Player
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
The leaders of the three top teams in the Western Conference all have strong arguments for MVP. Jokic became the first player to lead the league in rebounds and assists per game while also averaging 27.7 points. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31.1 PPG and led the Thunder to the league’s best record despite the fact that multiple starters missed substantial time this season. Wembanyama averaged 25.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a league-best 3.1 blocks per game while emerging as a lock for Defensive Player of the Year.
Rookie of the Year
- Cooper Flagg (Mavericks)
- Kon Knueppel (Hornets)
- VJ Edgecombe (Sixers)
This race is expected to come down to the former Duke teammates. Knueppel played a key role for a resurgent Hornets squad, becoming the first rookie to lead the league in made three-pointers while averaging 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game in 81 appearances. Flagg’s Mavs finished well out of the postseason picture, but he showed massive star upside, averaging 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.5 APG while scoring at least 42 points in four separate games. Edgecombe averaged 35.0 minutes per game over 75 contests, posting a well-rounded 16.0 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 4.2 APG.
Coach of the Year
- Joe Mazzulla (Celtics)
- J.B. Bickerstaff (Pistons)
- Mitch Johnson (Spurs)
Mazzulla and Bickerstaff each led massively overperforming teams that managed to dominate the Eastern Conference despite having players in and out of the lineup all year. Johnson helped navigate a tricky guard rotation and spacing issues as the Spurs posted the second-best record in the league.
Defensive Player of the Year
- Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
- Ausar Thompson (Pistons)
- Victor Wembanyama (Spurs)
Wembanyama is the overwhelming favorite to win this award, ranking first in total blocks, blocks per game, defensive rating, and defensive rebounding percentage this season. Holmgren was second in blocks per game for the league’s top defense, while Thompson proved himself to be arguably the best perimeter defender in the league with his combination of off-ball defensive play-making and point-of-attack dominance.
Most Improved Player
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Hawks)
- Deni Avdija (Trail Blazers)
- Jalen Duren (Pistons)
Both Avdija and Duren were first-time All-Stars this season, while Alexander-Walker earned a starting spot on his new team and raised his scoring from 9.4 points per game last season to 20.8 PPG this season on .459/.399/.902 shooting splits, all career high percentages.
Sixth Man of the Year
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (Nuggets)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Heat)
- Keldon Johnson (Spurs)
Hardaway cracked 40% from three this season for the first time in his career while shooting 6.9 attempts in his 26.6 minutes per game. Most importantly for the injury-plagued Nuggets, he played 80 games, including six starts, and was the team’s fifth-highest scorer. Jaquez had an impressively well-rounded contribution off the bench, posting career-highs of 15.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Johnson was a crucial scoring hub for the Spurs bench units while adding offensive pop when the starters struggled to score.
Clutch Player of the Year
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder)
- Jamal Murray (Nuggets)
Gilgeous-Alexander and Edwards ranked first and second, respectively, in clutch scoring per game, while Murray was second in total clutch points behind the Thunder star and shot the most efficiently from three of the guards.
Brett Siegel of Clutch Points notes (via Twitter) that the awards will be announced in the coming days and weeks, starting with Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, April 20.
Fischer’s Latest: Horst, Bucks, Jenkins, Blazers, Bulls
The Bucks endured a disappointing and drama-filled season in 2025/26, going just 32-50 amid injuries to — and trade rumors involving — Giannis Antetokounmpo. Head coach Doc Rivers officially stepped down from his role on Monday and suggested in a subsequent podcast appearance that his NBA coaching days may be over.
Could general manager Jon Horst be the next key member of the organization on the move? According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link), the early signs in Milwaukee indicate the answer to that question is no.
There had been speculation around the league about Horst’s job status, but his contract runs through 2027/28 and he has initiated contact with several agents as the Bucks commence their search for Rivers’ replacement, sources tell Fischer.
As Fischer writes, Horst hasn’t really spearheaded a coaching search since 2018, when the team hired Mike Budenholzer. Adrian Griffin, who went 30-13 in ’23/24 before being replaced by Rivers, was believed to be the favored choice of Antetokounmpo, while Rivers was hand-picked by ownership.
Fischer reiterates that ex-Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins and Bucks top assistant Darvin Ham are among the candidates for the position, but Horst appears to be casting a wide net in his search, with several other names in play as well.
On the other end of the search, candidates for the job likely won’t have a great feel for what Milwaukee’s roster will look like next season until at least this summer, Fischer notes, since Antetokounmpo’s situation remains unresolved.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up:
- Jenkins, who was fired by Memphis near the end of the ’24/25 regular season, may be the “hottest name” on the coaching market, Fischer writes. There has been speculation the Wizards could be interested in Jenkins, but Washington’s front office recently said Brian Keefe is expected to remain in his role next season. Sources tell Fischer the Wizards want to give Keefe a chance to lead a team trying to win after Washington prioritized draft positioning in his first two-and-a-half years at the helm. The Magic are believed to be fans of Jenkins too, though the team still has Jamahl Mosley under contract.
- According to Fischer, part of the reason the Kings decided to retain Doug Christie is because Sacramento doesn’t project to be a playoff team next season and the former NBA guard has one year left on his contract. Given the current state of the team, paying two coaches doesn’t make much sense, Fischer writes.
- While Tiago Splitter has seemingly done as well as anyone could have hoped in Portland after Chauncey Billups was arrested and placed on leave as part of an illegal gambling probe, the Trail Blazers may be leaning in a different direction as they look to hire the first head coach under new majority owner Tom Dundon. According to Fischer, that’s not a reflection on Splitter’s performance as Portland’s interim replacement but rather Dundon’s reticence to pay the going rate for an NBA head coach. Fischer hears it has been “widely communicated” for weeks that Dundon is evidently looking to spend a maximum of $1.5MM per year on a new head coach, which is more in line with what top assistant coaches make. It’s also far less money than high-level college head coaches earn, Fischer continues, which is why some people believe an NBA assistant is more likely to accept the job unless a deal can be reached with Splitter. Fischer hears the Blazers have held exploratory talks with 20 college and international coaches about the position.
- The Bulls have hired the firm TurnkeyZRG to lead the search process for their new head of basketball operations, Fischer reports, but head coach Billy Donovan is also expected to have a “strong voice” in the search, assuming he stays in his current role. The Mavericks, meanwhile, decided not to use a search firm, with governor Patrick Dumont leading that process, Fischer adds.
Mavs Notes: Kidd, Front Office, Bilsborough, Flagg
The situation that Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd finds himself in isn’t all that different from Billy Donovan‘s in Chicago. It was a disappointing season in Dallas and the team is embarking on a search for a permanent head of basketball operations, but all indications are that the team wants Kidd to remain part of the organization.
“He knows the game,” governor Patrick Dumont said when asked by Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) to evaluate Kidd’s performance in 2025/26. “And he’s had great coaching success, and this was a tough year. I look back to last season, the injury that Kyrie (Irving) had, some of the other injuries we had, and how hard the guys played for Coach. This year, same thing. We played a lot of close games that could have gone either way. The team continued to battle through adversity and through a lot of injuries. And look, that’s really a testament to Coach Kidd and the rest of the coaching staff.”
As Townsend observes, there have been rumblings over the course of the season about Kidd possibility transitioning into a front office role in Dallas, but those whispers have mostly died down as of late. A report two weeks ago suggested that Kidd is more likely to remain in his current position than to become a basketball operations executive. Either scenario seems more likely than the Hall-of-Famer being let go, given how highly regarded he is by Mavs ownership.
“He’s an important voice in our organization,” Dumont said. “I really value his insights and his knowledge of the game. I know the rest of our team does as well. He’s just been unbelievably committed to our franchise, both as a player and as a coach over these many years.”
We have more on the Mavericks:
- In a story examining potential candidates for the Mavericks’ top front office job, Christian Clark of The Athletic shares some interesting tidbits, citing multiple league sources who told him that Mark Cuban‘s support for Dennis Lindsey could negatively impact Lindsey’s chances of being rehired by Dallas. Clark also confirms that the Mavs have legitimate interest in Tim Connelly, though he may not be inclined to leave his job with the Timberwolves, and reports that Dumont believes the current front office – led by co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi – did well in February’s Anthony Davis trade.
- The Mavs are making changes in their health and performance department for a fourth straight year, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says the team has dismissed director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough. MacMahon reported last spring that there was tension between Bilsborough and former athletic performance director Keith Belton, who was fired by the team during the 2025 offseason. The expectation, per MacMahon, is that the new head of basketball operations will hire Bilsborough’s replacement.
- After repeatedly making Cooper Flagg‘s case for Rookie of the Year in recent weeks, Kidd suggested at the end of the season that the 19-year-old forward wasn’t just the NBA’s best rookie in 2025/26 — he proved he’s already among the league’s very best players. “We’ve seen a historic rookie season,” Kidd said, according to Clark. “We have the best fans. But we also have one of the best players — present at the age of 19, and the future.”
- Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com looks at why there’s confidence among Mavs players and coaches that the team’s 26-56 season was a blip on the radar and that better things are ahead for the franchise, starting in 2026/27.
Mavericks Notes: Thompson, Flagg, Nembhard, Offseason
The Mavericks wrapped up their second straight non-playoff season Sunday night, and Klay Thompson‘s time with the organization may be nearing an end, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News writes in a subscriber-only piece. Thompson has one season remaining at nearly $17.5MM on the three-year contract he signed when he decided to leave Golden State in the summer of 2024, but he’s no longer an obvious fit on a rebuilding team.
The Mavs were coming off an NBA Finals appearance when Thompson made his free agent decision, and he was looking forward to continuing that success by teaming up with Luka Doncic. The shocking Doncic trade last season and the subsequent emergence of rookie Cooper Flagg as the franchise centerpiece may result in the 36-year-old Thompson being traded to a contending team this summer.
“I’m not sure,” Thompson responded Sunday when asked if he expects to still be with the Mavericks next season. “I’m under contract so I do, but I’ve definitely learned in my time in Dallas that things can change on a dime.”
Curtis notes that Thompson remained productive this season, averaging 11.7 PPG in 69 games, mostly in a reserve role, while shooting 38.3% from three-point range. He hit four-three pointers in Sunday’s win over Chicago, giving him more than 200 in a season for the 11th time in his career.
Thompson’s future won’t be decided until Dallas hires its next general manager, but he’s happy to still be playing no matter where he winds up.
“I have been very grateful to be here and to make it through the season healthy,” Thompson said. “I know my years are numbered going forward so every night in an NBA jersey, I take full advantage of it.”
There’s more from Dallas:
- Flagg’s remarkable rookie season ended early on Sunday when he was forced out of the game with an ankle injury late in the first quarter, Curtis adds in a separate story. Flagg scored 10 points in 10 minutes before departing and averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists for the year. He’s expected to finish first or second in a tight Rookie of the Year race with Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel. “He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do, and he’s done it at a high level with a smile,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He enjoys the game. He wants to win. He’s a great teammate. He’s a great player to coach. … We’re seeing a historic rookie season. It’s fan appreciation night. We have the best fans, but we also have one of the best players in the world present at the age of 19 and the future.”
- Rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard, who had his two-way contract converted to a standard deal last month, also looks like part of the future in Dallas. He closed out the season with 23 assists on Sunday, setting a new franchise record for a regulation-length (ie. non-overtime) contest, according to the Mavericks (Twitter link). The Mavs hold a $2.2MM team option on Nembhard for next season.
- Dallas gained a lot of financial flexibility by trading Anthony Davis to Washington in February, Bobby Marks of ESPN states in his offseason wrapup. The Mavericks won’t have cap space this summer, but by escaping the apron they’ll be able to use the non-taxpayer mid-level exception and the bi-annual exception. They’re currently about $38MM away from the luxury tax and $45MM below the first apron. Marks points to Dereck Lively II, Max Christie and Naji Marshall as extension candidates for the summer.
Patrick Dumont Discusses State Of Mavericks
Patrick Dumont has experienced the extreme highs and lows of NBA ownership in his 27 months as governor of the Mavericks, from a trip to the NBA Finals to the drama surrounding former president Nico Harrison after his controversial decision to trade Luka Doncic.
As Brad Townsend writes for the Dallas Morning News in an exclusive sit-down with the team owner, Dumont recognizes that until he puts together a competitive, high-level team again, everything he does will be looked at through the lens of the Doncic trade.
“I believe in our accountability,” Dumont said. “We have to work hard to make things right.”
Lucking into budding star Cooper Flagg in last year’s draft lottery helps, but as Dallas wraps up its worst season since 2017/18, the real work is only just beginning. That process will start with the search for a new president of basketball operations.
“Monday morning, we’re going to get active, and we’re going to talk to a lot of people,” Dumont says. “And we’re going to do our best to make sure that we find the best possible candidate to lead our basketball organization… Our goal is to have someone on board by the middle of May.”
It has previously been rumored that Dumont wants to go big-game hunting in his search, with names like Brad Stevens and Sam Presti coming up, but as heads of successful teams, those two seem unlikely to be attainable.
“We’ll do the work,” he said. “We’ll figure out who’s a great leader. Who can build a great culture. Who has a track record. Who knows how to work with young players and develop them, which is crucial, because if you look at our team right now, we’re going to have a pool of great young talent, led by Cooper Flagg.”
Dumont also spoke about former majority owner Mark Cuban, who made news recently when he expressed regret for selling the team to the new owners, as well as when he addressed rumors of his involvement with an investor group trying to buy the team away from the Adelson-Dumont family.
“Mark is really passionate about the Mavericks, and I think that’s great,” Dumont said. “I think he’s really, really frustrated about the year that the team has had. And I understand that frustration. I consider Mark a friend. And look, I always appreciate his thoughts… But one thing I do want to say, in terms of ownership, I think we’ve been really clear: We’re not moving the team to another city. The team is not for sale. We’re going to continue to invest in this franchise. We’re going to build a new home for the team, and hopefully in the long term we’ll be able to celebrate that success for many years.”
Regarding that last point, one issue hanging over Dumont is the decision on where to locate the new arena. He and the team are weighing several locations, including the site that is currently Dallas’ City Hall. The Mavs governor says he envisions it as something beyond just a simple arena, as well as a place that can help give back to the city.
“I think it’s great for the city of Dallas to have a sports and entertainment center where there’s activations, not only when we have our home games, but all throughout the year,” Dumont says. “And I also think it creates a better experience for our fans to be able to have things to do before and after the game, where they can meet family and friends.”
He declined to specify whether most of the money to build such a complex would come from the team or the city, but he noted that some level of private funding would be involved in the project.