The Dallas Mavericks didn't have back-to-back years of insane NBA Draft Lottery luck, as they fell one spot to the 9th overall pick for the 2026 NBA Draft, with the lottery results being announced on Sunday. It may have been too much to ask for the Mavs to jump up for the second year in a row as they look to pair another young star with last year's first overall pick, Cooper Flagg, but there was hope regardless.

Nonetheless, the 2026 Draft is a talented one, with many experts calling it the deepest draft in years. While the Mavs may have hoped to jump into the top four, they still believe they can add the right player to their core.…