The NBA Draft is upon us and Duke’s Cooper Flagg will undoubtedly be the first player selected.

I’m just doubting that it will be in a Dallas Mavericks jersey.

Flagg, a 6’9 forward, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists during his freshman year, leading his team to the NCAA Final Four, while being named college basketball’s Player of the Year.

Nico Harrison, the general manager of the Mavericks, is more than aware that Flagg, the consensus number one pick, would fit in perfectly at the small forward position on a Mavericks team that already has Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and a roster full of veterans.

Harrison is also aware that after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers this past season, he’s not the most popular man in town right now, and trading away a franchise type player TWICE, could cost much more than just his job.

If you’re Nico, keeping Flagg makes sense. He’s a great player, and either he helps the team win a title, or worst case, becomes the next face of the franchise when the older players age out, or leave for free agency.

But what if Cooper Flagg doesn’t want to play second fiddle, or make that fourth fiddle, to AD, Kyrie, and Klay?

And what if Cooper Flagg turns out to be a little more Anthony Bennett than Anthony Edwards? A little more Markelle Fultz than Mark Aguirre? Or a little more Michael Olowokandi than Michael Jordan?

And which team would be so desperate for a Great White Hope, that they would give up ANYTHING to acquire him?

That’s right. The Utah Jazz.

Credit via The Salt Lake Tribune

Think about it. The Jazz have brought in Austin Ainge, the son of former Boston Celtic great, Danny Ainge, to be the new President of Basketball Operations. Danny and Austin both attended BYU. Utah is about 90% white, and more than half are Mormon. And the Jazz have 13 first round draft picks and roster full of players to dangle.

The NBA wouldn’t mind.

Instead of Flagg averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds for the Mavericks in limited playing time, he’d be averaging 22 and 9 while selling jerseys and signing shoe contracts.

And Nico shouldn’t mind either.

Kyrie Irving is 33 years old, coming off an ACL injury, and is a free agent next season. Klay Thompson is 35 years old and has lost a step. Anthony Davis is 32 and extremely injury prone. The team has very little youth, very little draft capital, and very little money to spend.

How about four number one picks, including Utah’s spot at number five on draft day?

How about five number ones, and a veteran like Jordan Clarkson to help right now?

How about six number ones, and young talent like Cody Williams for the future?

Think about it, Nico.

A 6’9 athletic white guy that can play multiple positions, handle the ball, distribute, shoot from distance, and defend.

Could be the next Larry Bird.

Credit via Dallas Mavericks

Or could be the next Chandler Parsons.

You may mock me suggesting that Dallas trades Cooper Flagg, but after they do, here’s what the rest of what my mock draft looks like.

2) San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper (PG/SG) – Rutgers
Wouldn’t be too surprised if the Brookyln Nets trade one of their four first round picks to grab Harper at this spot, but the Spurs seem to like the freshman despite having De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle already in the backcourt.

3) Philadelphia 76ers – Tre Johnson (SG) – Texas
The Brooklyn Nets could also trade up in this spot to select 6’10 Ace Bailey, possibly sending Cam Johnson in return. But look for the 76ers to take the best shooter in the draft if they can’t move down.

Credit via Bullets Forever

4) Charlotte Hornets – Ace Bailey (F) – Rutgers
Pretty good spot for the Hornets as they can decide between the athleticism of VJ Edgecombe, the shooting of Kon Knuppel, and the size of Ace Bailey. Despite the refusal to work out for specific teams, Charlotte grabs more frontcourt help.

5) Dallas Mavericks (via Utah) – Kon Knuppel (SG) – Duke
Fair to say that the Mavericks chased Nico Harrison out of town after trading Flagg, but the next GM can plug in a young spot up shooter, or use his plethora of draft capital acquired, to fill in the rest of the team now, or build for the future later.

6) Washington Wizards – VJ Edgecombe (SG) – Baylor
The Wizards are generally in the business of choosing the best player available. The athletic Edgecombe can’t shoot, but neither can Stephon Castle, and he won Rookie of the Year.

7) New Orleans Pelicans – Jeremiah Fears (PG) – Oklahoma
The Pelicans are just a bad roster with old players in the backcourt. Not sure Fears will help, but he can’t hurt.

8) Brooklyn Nets – Khaman Maluack (C) – Duke
Hopefully, the Nets moved up in the draft and this pick is going to the San Antonio Spurs or Philadelphia 76ers. But Maluack is a legit 7’1 without shoes and a solid start to the rebuild.

9) Toronto Raptors – Noa Essengue (PF) – Germany
The Raptors’ roster has no rhyme or reason to it. So, they may as well take a 6’10 guy from Germany.

10) Phoenix Suns (via Houston) – Carter Bryant (SF/PF) Arizona
Bryant seems to be on everyone’s list as a player to watch. The 6’7 freshman is athletic, bouncy, and competes hard on both ends.

On a sidenote. If the Mavericks end up keeping Flagg, watch for the Utah Jazz to take Kon Knuppel with their fifth overall pick, and Egor Demin (BYU) if he’s around at pick 21.

Credit via ESPN

Credit via ESPN 97.7

For Austin, Danny, and Utah Jazz nation, it would be qWhite a pair.

Images via Dallasmorningnews, the saltlaketribune, dallasmavericks, bulletsforever,espn, espn97.7.

Alan Tapley The Athletic Supporter

Alan Tapley is an educator, author, and blogger who has lived just outside of Boulder for the last twenty years.  His published work includes two novels, two children’s books, a series of cartoons in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and multiple sports related articles. His love for family and the state of Colorado is only matched by one thing, his passion for sports.  The first baseball game he ever attended was at Wrigley Field, before there were lights.  At the final Bronco game at the old Mile High, he allegedly cut out a piece of his seat in the South stands.  But regardless of being here for the Avalanche’s last Stanley Cup, the Rockies only World Series appearance, and all the Broncos’ Super Bowl Victories, his wife never fails to remind him that he wasn’t at the University of Colorado in 1990, like she was.  The year the Buffs football team won the National Championship