One NBA executive quipped Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison basically played four-dimensional chess when he traded franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite long odds, the Mavs won the 2025 NBA draft lottery Monday night, putting them in position to land Duke star Cooper Flagg.

The Lakers sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick for Doncic and Maxi Kleber. While Davis is a 10-time All-Star, he's also an injury-prone 32-year-old. Doncic, on the other hand, is 26 and led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season.

The Dallas Mavericks may have not had the same NBA Draft Lottery odds if Luka Doncic had never been traded away. But they won the lottery with a 1.8 percent chance at the top pick, anyway, so let's venture into the realm of a Cooper Flagg "What if?