The Dallas Mavericks shocked the basketball world with the Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers trade on Feb. 2, 2025. That shocking move sent their perennial MVP candidate to a conference rival, leading the franchise to part ways with former General Manager Nico Harrison amid sustained fan outcry. Now, with rookie phenom Cooper Flagg positioned as the new face of the franchise, Dallas is aiming for an elite architect to build its next era, and they have their sights set on the man who made a dynasty look inevitable.

With co-interim GMs Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley running operations since Nico Harrison’s November dismissal, the Mavericks are hoping to have a permanent replacement in place before the 2026 NBA Draft. According to a report by NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line on Wednesday, the name being whispered most frequently around the league is one that carries more weight than any other in front office circles.

Stein identified the Mavericks’ most coveted target with precision: “League sources tell The Stein Line that the most frequently whispered Dallas target from that category is actually former Golden State Warriors lead executive Bob Myers, who would naturally have Welts’ (Mavericks CEO Rick) strong backing after their successful years together with the Warriors.”

Myers served as the Warriors’ GM from 2012 to 2023. During that time, he won four NBA championships and earned two NBA Executive of the Year awards. Furthermore, he extended Stephen Curry at a number that became the greatest bargain in league history, drafted Draymond Green 35th overall, lured Kevin Durant in 2016, and acquired Andrew Wiggins in a move that delivered the 2022 title.

While the interests make sense on paper, it is not as easy as Mavs fans will hope. Myers left ESPN in October 2025 to become president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. There, he oversaw the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Commanders in a high-level consulting capacity.

He already declined overtures from the Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, and other teams, and Stein described the HBSE position as “extremely lucrative.”

Myers is not the only marquee name Dumont has his eye on. Stein also reported that Dallas would have a strong interest in Minnesota’s Tim Connelly if he were to depart the Timberwolves.

And while names like Brad Stevens, Sam Presti, Koby Altman, and R.C. Buford have also been discussed, though Stein acknowledged some of those as “fanciful,” Dumont is described as the point person in the search process.

Whoever walks through the door will inherit Cooper Flagg’s trajectory. The rookie phenom has put up impressive numbers in his first season, averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game over 64 games while shooting 46.7% from the field — production that places him among the most productive rookies in recent years, comparable to standouts like Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero.

In addition, the franchise-altering lottery pick in the 2026 draft, they reportedly hold a 9% chance at the No. 1 pick, with five teams, Indiana, Brooklyn, Washington, Sacramento, and Utah, ahead of them in the standings, Kyrie Irving’s return, and a roster that does not control its own first-round picks until 2031.

Getting this decision right by the powers that be is not a luxury. It is the entire plan.

What’s Next for the Mavericks Ahead of Next Season

The Mavericks have planned to build their future around rookie Cooper Flagg, a rookie who immediately positions himself as a leading Rookie of the Year candidate and a legitimate franchise cornerstone.

The plan is to integrate him with fellow Duke alumnus, Kyrie Irving, who is sitting out the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn ACL, and is expected back for 2026-27.

Uncle Drew has been a constant presence in Flagg’s development off the court. Flagg described Irving as the veteran who steadied him during the losing: “There was definitely times where I was shaken up. I never lost that much in my life. Just to hear him say that… it definitely helped me out a lot.”

Internally, the Mavericks envision a partnership in which Flagg initiates the offense and reads the floor while Irving attacks space, punishes rotations, and closes possessions.

While this seems like a credible vision, it requires the right surrounding pieces to function, and with Dallas lacking its own first-round picks from 2027 to 2030, the 2026 lottery selection is the most consequential non-Flagg asset in the building.

Now, this is where Myers’ profile becomes more important. His defining quality was never just roster construction; it was his cultural management at the highest stakes. The Green situation currently unfolding in Golden State is a precise illustration.

Green holds a $27.6 million player option, and when trade discussions involving him and Giannis Antetokounmpo surfaced, he reportedly never needed a conversation because the trust between the player and the front office ran so deep that no one felt the fracture.

That environment in the Bay Area did not happen by accident. Myers built it over a decade and is widely regarded as an elite manager of people, someone who could rally the Mavericks staff still raw from the Harrison era and restore immediate credibility with a fanbase that has not forgiven the Doncic trade.

Dallas is reportedly pursuing Myers because they plan to build around Flagg and Irving. And with a single lottery pick, no future firsts, and a fanbase demanding results, it is not a job for someone finding their footing.

It requires someone who has already done the hardest version of it, and whether he would leave his HBSE role remains genuinely uncertain.