The Dallas Mavericks were the winners of the NBA lottery, and their claim of the No. 1 pick likely means the arrival of Cooper Flagg on draft night in June. While some around the league have doubts about the fit, Rich Paul says it's an ideal situation for the young swingman from Duke.

In Chime Financial’s IPO prospectus on Tuesday, the company disclosed terms of its sponsorship deal with the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

"After making the biggest leap in NBA draft lottery history to land the No. 1 overall pick, the Dallas Mavericks plan to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg and will not entertain the possibility of trading away the pick for a proven superstar, sources told ESPN," the report reads.

As of Monday, a No. 77 Mavericks jersey that features the phrase “Fire Nico” across the back has gone up for auction. Bids for the jersey have gone up to $1,500, thanks to a particular feature on one of the numbers. The jersey was signed by none other than Doncic himself.

This is emphatically not the situation Cooper Flagg is about to walk into. If everything goes right, the Mavericks -- who improbably won the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Monday night -- could genuinely contend for the 2026 championship.

Dallas Mavericks fans have spent the last few months in something akin to open rebellion against the team’s front office after franchise icon Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.