Mavericks hire Dusty May opens trade discussions with Thunder
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 23, 2026, 10:54 PM
Last updated Jun 23, 2026
The Dallas Mavericks have hired Dusty May as their new head coach, potentially impacting their upcoming draft strategy. With the NBA Draft approaching, the Mavericks are considering a trade of their No. 9 pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for the 12th and 17th picks. This trade could facilitate Oklahoma City's goal of securing top talent, including Michigan forward Yaxel Lendeborg, a player familiar with May's coaching style. Oklahoma City holds 12 first-round picks over the next five years and is looking to consolidate those into higher-value selections, making a deal seem plausible. Insight from NBA insider Marc Stein confirmed the two teams are already in discussions regarding a potential trade.
- •Dallas holds the No. 9, No. 30, and No. 48 picks in the draft.
- •Oklahoma City aims to trade for higher picks to target specific players.
- •Isaiah Joe is rumored to be involved in the trade discussions.
- •The trade discussions come after the recent hiring of Dusty May.
- •History of quick trades between the two teams could facilitate this deal.
- 10:54 PMYahoo Sports — Mavericks' coaching hire inadvertently made Thunder's trade-up dreams more realistic
"Dallas just hired Dusty May, and his college championship roster might be the secret key to unlocking a major draft-night trade with the Thunder.
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