Keeping aside the volatile playoff scenario, the last 24 hours have been very eventful for the NBA. It all began with Shams Charania's report about Giannis Antetokounmpo being open-minded about whether his best fit is Milwaukee or playing elsewhere.
Following the breaking news, the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery results were announced. Shocking the league and everyone around it, the Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick despite a 1.8 percent probability, making them the fourth-largest underdog to win since the lottery was introduced in 1985.
Sharing his thoughts on recent happenings, ESPN's Brian Windhorst established a correlation between Giannis wanting out and the Mavericks winning the draft lottery. The former Cleveland Cavalier beat writer also helped us recall the Kostas Antetokounmpo signing.
"Bro, that is the craziest set of circumstances. That was Nico Harrison's music, cannot believe it went out like that, 1.8 percent chance, it changes the landscape of the situation... You know they've wanted Giannis in Dallas for years. They signed his brother a few years ago. Just wanted to point that out," stated a rather ecstatic Windy.
Addressing the 2013 draft, the Mavericks had the 13th pick with Giannis going at No. 15. While former owner Mark Cuban and management acknowledged the 6'11" forward's potential, their primary objective remained to maximize Dirk Nowitzki 's championship window.
Cuban once revealed that had they gotten Giannis, they would have never gotten Luka . Fast-forward to today, and the Mavs have another chance to recruit "The Greek Freak." This plan has been in the making for a while, with Windy pointing towards the franchise signing his younger brother, Kostas Antetokounmpo, on a two-way contract in 2018.
Looking at how things stand between the Bucks and the one-time Champion, coupled with the Mavs' high chances to land rookie sensation Cooper Flagg , a trade could be in the works during the summer. Although it is too early to come to any conclusion, Mavs fans finally have something to cheer about, given how sour the 2024-25 season turned out for them.
There's been plenty of hype surrounding Duke standout Flagg, thanks to his versatile wing play. At 6'9", his all-around game makes him a two-way force and a matchup nightmare. Widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick, "The Maine Event" could very well be headed to Dallas.
Given his abilities, the promising youngster would be a great fit on the Mavs alongside Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving . The ACC Player of the Year could even serve as the future face of the franchise. Nevertheless, GM Nico Harrison and the management are looking for a win-now situation, especially after trading a generational talent like Luka Doncic.
Hence, it remains to be seen how the Mavs front office extracts the best out of their given situation, considering Giannis also brings championship DNA with him and is a former DPOY. Everything said, is trading a talent like Flagg worth it in the long run? Something we'll only learn about in the coming days.
