Ex-Warriors pushes Nico Harrison to flip Cooper Flagg for Kevin Durant before Mavericks championship window closes

Drafting Duke’s Cooper Flagg will likely secure the Dallas Mavericks’ future, but it could also close their immediate championship window. The Mavs could attempt to put together a collection of talent around Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving while they are still star-caliber talent.

However, they do not have long to do this, considering both Davis and Irving are in their 30s. As a solution, former Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins proposed a trade to maximize this narrow championship window.

Cousins, who played for the Warriors during the 2018-19 season, said on “Run it Back” on Monday that Nico Harrison should trade the first pick for Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant.

"Kevin Durant wouldn't be a bad move there either with that number one pick," Cousins said.

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Michelle Beadle, one of the show's co-hosts, asked Cousins to confirm if he's suggesting the Mavs essentially trade Flagg for Durant.

"Nico's already on record saying it's a three-year window as far as winning a championship," Cousins said. "Cooper Flagg doesn't fit that window, Kevin Durant does — so I absolutely think he would trade that number one pick."

Cooper Flagg will still be only 18 and will turn 19 in December. Despite his stellar performance in one season at Duke, he'll need time to adjust to the NBA's pace and play style.

Meanwhile, Durant is already turning 37 in September. Still, he remains one of the most lethal scorers in the league. Last season, he averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Also read: Duke’s Cooper Flagg on following Kevin Durant, Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis, Blue Devils' stellar run and US Olympics scrimmage (EXCLUSIVE)

DeMarcus Cousins says he'll draft Ace Bailey over Cooper Flagg

In the same episode of "Run it Back," DeMarcus Cousins shared his interesting view on who should be the first pick in the 2025 NBA draft. While many are already sold on Cooper Flagg as the top pick, Cousins said he'll pick Rutgers' Ace Bailey.

"To me Ace Bailey is the number one pick," Cousins said. "I think he's the closest thing we've seen to a Tracy McGrady."

Flagg is a 6-foot-9 forward, while Bailey is listed as a 6-foot-10 guard. The Duke standout averaged 19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.2 apg as well as 1.4 steals and blocks. The Rutgers guard, on the other hand, put up 17.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.0 apg and 1.3 bpg in his lone collegiate season.

Both players displayed high potential and are considered to have a high ceiling in the NBA. Still, there are questions about what Nico Harrison will do with his prized pick.

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About the author

Miguel de Guzman

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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