Owen aims to make a comeback in January next year! The Mavericks' top priority is to bring in a point guard, and the two giants will become trade chips

On May 15, Beijing time, according to Shams of the Athletic, Irving, who has torn his anterior cruciate ligament, aims to return in January next year, and before that, the Mavericks need a qualified point guard, and they are expected to complete this reinforcement this summer.

"As far as I know, the Mavericks are going to go all-out on a point guard," Shams revealed, "and that's their top priority, whether it's through the trade market or the free agent market." Irving is aiming to return around January, and we'll see what kind of plug-and-play point guard they can find. ”

With the Mavericks trading for Davis and selecting Flagg, the team's frontcourt depth skyrocketed, with Gafford and PJ Washington becoming potential trade chips. In the 2024-25 season, Gafford played in 57 regular season games, averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting 70.2% from the field. Washington played in 57 regular season games, averaging 14.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from three-point range.

Despite Cooper Flagg's apparent shock when the lottery results were announced, according to ESPN sources, he was "excited" to join the Mavericks, with Dallas winning the first pick with just a 1.8% chance of coming back.

According to sources, Flagg's team quickly realized the advantages of joining a playoff-caliber team with established veterans: the Mavericks had a clear need for the small forward position, and Flagg could fill that void immediately. The team expects him to take on important offensive responsibilities as a rookie, similar to his role at Duke University, in a way that will help him adapt to the long-term growth of NBA-level rivalries.

It is reported that the Mavericks will not accept any trade offers for Flagg, and plan to form a core roster with Davis (and Irving, who is expected to recover from injury). Despite Irving's injury setbacks, the Mavericks plan to re-sign him in hopes of creating a championship triumvirate consisting of Davis, Flagg and Irving.

It is worth mentioning that the Mavericks jumped 10 spots in the lottery draw, a feat that tied the record for the largest jump in NBA lottery history set by the Orlando Magic in 1993.