The Dallas Mavericks are in prime position to once again get a Top 10 selection in the 2026 NBA Draft. Dallas lucked into the number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and selected Cooper Flagg from the Duke Blue Devils.
The Mavericks have a 21-44 record this season. The 2026 NBA Draft has a lot of talent. There are a ton of star freshmen in this class. At the moment, Dallas would have the seventh overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
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Kyrie Irving is out for the season with a knee injury. He played in 50 games and averaged 24.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 4.6 APG. Irving is under contract for the 2026-2027 season with the Mavericks and will have a player-option for 2027-2028. Is there a chance that Dallas could find a replacement for the 33-year-old in the 2026 NBA Draft?
Dallas Mavericks Select Point Guard of the Future in Latest 2026 NBA Mock Draft
Dallas Mavericks center Dwight Powell (7), guard Kyrie Irving (11), and forward P.J. Washington (25).Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
With Dallas potentially heading for a rebuild and going younger, it might be in the best interest of the Mavericks to find its point guard of the future. Irving has been hurt throughout his NBA career.
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Adam Finkelstein of CBSsports.com created his latest 2026 NBA Draft. With the seventh pick, he has Dallas selecting point guard Mikel Brown Jr. from the Louisville Cardinals. He is also another talented freshman that is projected to enter the 2026 NBA Draft.
Finkelstein said, “Brown is a late-blooming lead guard who is exceptionally talented with the ball in his hands. He’s a deep shooter and advanced passer who now boasts good positional size along with improved strength and athleticism. On a Mavs team that will be built around Cooper Flagg, he provides another creator who will also boast extreme gravity off the ball.”
Brown is no doubt going to be a scorer at the next level like Kyrie has been throughout his NBA career. The current Cardinals guard this season is averaging 18.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 4.7 APG, along with shooting 41.0% from the field. He is 6’5″ and weighs 190 lbs.
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A pairing of Brown and Flagg for the future could be an ideal situation for the Mavericks. It is a nice start for them with that duo, but there is a chance that they could wind up with a higher pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. If they decide to go with a point guard in the 2026 NBA Draft, it means that they will try and find a trade partner for Irving this offseason.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 12, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.