Despite everything that has gone wrong for the Utah Jazz, they can rightfully take pride in not doing something historically stupid like trading Luka Doncic less than a year after he had made it to the Finals and was about to reach his peak. However, after Dallas rightfully fired Nico Harrison for this move, the Mavericks could be among the Jazz’s toughest tanking competition in 2026.
Even after the Doncic fiasco, the Mavericks didn’t arrive expecting a tank job this season. They still had Cooper Flagg and Anthony Davis. Sure, Kyrie Irving was out for the season, but Dallas planned to compete. However, after Davis *shockingly* got injured not long after the season started, and Flagg looked like he needed some time to adjust, Dallas’ best option was to start over.
And that started with firing Harrison. With him gone, the Mavericks have also indicated the plan is to rebuild a winner around Flagg, which could mean more trades are on the horizon, and if they do, the Mavericks would indicate the plan is to tank.
And why wouldn’t they? If there’s one year to throw it all away in hopes of getting a golden lottery pick, it’s this season. This draft is chock full of talented prospects, so if they could pair one with a generational player like Flagg, they could put the Doncic debacle behind them, as unlikely as that sounds.
This is a problem for the Jazz in more ways than one
For obvious reasons, if the Mavericks put their name in the hat for tanking, that could clearly be a problem for the Jazz and their lottery chances. However, another team looking for a prospect like Darryn Peterson could be more problematic than fans think.
What fans know, but aren’t really harping on, is that the Jazz owe a protected top-8 pick to the Thunder this season. If they get the ninth pick or higher, it will go to OKC, who are not only the reigning NBA champions but have made it very clear at 10-1 that they are not leaving.
Imagine if that team gets a lottery pick – fun fact: the Jazz aren’t the only team at risk of giving them a lottery pick – in addition to winning another title. That could play a big role if the Mavericks decide their best option is building a better future.
There are plenty of teams vying for good draft position even before Harrison’s firing. Another issue could be scary for Utah to deal with.
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