What Dusty May's Hiring Actually Means For the Dallas Mavericks' No. 9 Pick

WOAH. Dallas just pulled off one of the wildest coaching hires in recent memory! The Mavericks, yeah, the team built around young phenom Cooper Flagg, just snatched up reigning national champion Dusty May from the Michigan Wolverines to be their new head coach. It's a huge splash, the first college coach jumping straight to the NBA since another Michigan guy, John Beilein, did it back in 2019. This is a massive move for a team that was already one of the most interesting squads this offseason.

Is a Wolverine Coming to Dallas?

Alright, so you hire the head coach who just led Michigan to a national title, and suddenly, everyone's asking the same question: are the Mavs drafting a Wolverine? Dallas holds the No. 9 overall pick in Tuesday's first round, which is happening FAST. And guess what? Three of May's former Wolverines, Aday Mara, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Morez Johnson, are all roughly projected to fall right in that draft range. It's almost too perfect, right? Could May just bring his guys with him to the NBA and kick off a full-blown youth movement in Dallas? But let's be real for a sec. We're talking about Masai Ujiri here, folks. The man is a championship-winning executive! There's no way he's ceding complete control over that No. 9 pick to a first-time NBA coach on his first day on the job. No way. If Dallas sticks at No. 9, you can bet your bottom dollar they're sticking to whatever plans they've been grinding on during the whole draft process.

The Burries Buzz and the Thunder's Wild Cards

So, who are they *really* looking at? The Mavericks have been

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linked super prominently to Arizona guard Brayden Burries. Get this: May actually faced Burries in the Final Four during his championship run and publicly praised him and fellow Wildcats freshman Koa Peat for their Team USA experience, viewing it as a prerequisite for early college success. That's a strong endorsement from the new head coach, even if Ujiri is ultimately making the call. Things get really spicy if Burries is taken before that No. 9 spot. He's been heavily linked to the Los Angeles Clippers in the top eight, which would force Dallas to scramble. Or, imagine a trade down scenario! The Thunder, who are loaded with picks at No. 12 and No. 17, make a ton of sense as a trade partner. They've got a surplus of draft assets and might need to jump ahead of teams like the Bucks and Warriors for a specific target. Dallas doesn't control their own first-round pick again until 2031, so picking up volume in the draft definitely makes sense if there's someone they like a bit later, maybe at No. 12. And with three Wolverines potentially on the board, there's a good chance they'll find someone they like. This is all happening so fast, and honestly, it's thrilling! What does this all mean for the big picture, especially with Cooper Flagg at the center of everything? And what about Kyrie Irving? The original report mentioned him, but the article leaves us completely hanging on what's next for one of their biggest names. Talk about a cliffhanger! The draft is Tuesday, and then the real work begins for Dusty May and the Mavericks. Get ready, Dallas, because this offseason just got wild, and we're all watching to see how this plays out for the future of the league.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.