Mavericks' coaching hire inadvertently made Thunder's trade-up dreams more realistic

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The Dallas Mavericks enter the 2026 NBA Draft holding the No. 9, No. 30, and No. 48 picks, but president Masai Ujiri has been clear all offseason that quantity matters more than position for a team trying to build around Cooper Flagg.

Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have 12 first-round picks over the next five years, want the exact opposite -- fewer picks, better ones. On paper, these two teams have a deal waiting to happen. And the Mavericks' hire of Dusty May just made it more likely. NBA insider Marc Stein confirmed Monday that the two franchises have already been in active talks.

"Dallas and Oklahoma City, amid the Mavericks' myriad trade discussions throughout the weekend, have discussed a potential swap of No. 9 to the Thunder for the Nos. 12 and 17 picks," Stein reported on The Stein Line.

Oklahoma City guard Isaiah Joe is rumored to be included in the deal. This would help the Thunder clear salary to get below the second apron, following their recent trade of Aaron Wiggins to the Atlanta Hawks. Moving from No. 12 to No. 9 allows OKC GM Sam Presti to secure Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg or another target before another team can draft them.

Hiring May makes trading back highly logical. His former Michigan championship players, such as Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr., are all projected to go between picks 12 and 17. By moving down, the Mavs can gain two assets and add players who already know May's system.

The Thunder and Mavericks have a history of moving quickly on draft night. In 2023, Oklahoma City traded up to No. 10 to select Cason Wallace using a very similar pick-swap deal with Dallas. Because both front offices have done this before, they can execute a deal fast. May's arrival simply makes a potential trade much more practical for both sides.