Kevin Durant makes massive statement on "tanking" after Mavericks inch closer to drafting Cooper Flagg 

Kevin Durant got real about the Dallas Mavericks after the franchise shockingly secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft to snag Cooper Flagg. Coming into the lottery, the Mavericks had one of the lowest odds of landing the top pick. Dallas only had a 1.8% chance, which means that teams like the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, who both had 14% chances, were far more expected to win the lottery.

However, given the surprising turn of events, many are in disbelief that the Mavs won the lottery. Even Durant couldn't hold back his feelings, making a sarcastic remark about what took place on X/Twitter:

"Tanking must be really stressful on a organization," Durant wrote.

While "KD" used the word "tanking", that isn't truly the case for the Mavs. According to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, the reason for him trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis is so they could achieve their championship aspirations this season. Despite all hope seemingly lost after Kyrie Irving tore his ACL, Davis made it clear that he'd try to lead his new team to the playoffs.

Having all that in mind, for a team who didn't tank this season, it's quite odd how they ended up winning this year's lottery pick.

---

Looking at Mavericks' potential starting five with Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks look to be a strong team next season with the potential arrival of Cooper Flagg. Legion Hoops predicted what the Mavs' starting lineup would look like if Flagg were in the picture.

Here's who they thought the starting five could consist of:

• PG - Kyrie Irving
• SG - Klay Thompson
• SF - Cooper Flagg
• PF - Anthony Davis
• C - Dereck Lively II

While the lineup looks solid overall, there are several things to factor in next season. Kyrie Irving had a successful surgery on his torn ACL and is now undergoing his recovery phase. Irving is expected to return next season, however, not until January. Shams Charania reported that "KAI" will likely miss the first three months of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Aside from Irving's absence, the Mavs need to be cautious with Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson. Both stars are injury-prone, which means their consistent availability is uncertain at this point. Unless Flagg can carry the team without any of the stars by his side in his rookie year, Dallas' chances of winning the title next season remain relatively low.