Masai Ujiri Orchestrates Mavericks Rebuild Around Cooper Flagg After Taking Full Control

Masai Ujiri has taken complete control of Dallas Mavericks basketball operations since May, operating with minimal involvement from ownership, and has structured the roster explicitly around franchise centerpiece Cooper Flagg through a series of aggressive trades and draft selections.

Taking Control of the Franchise

Ujiri arrived as president of basketball operations and alternate governor on May 4, following a months-long search that included a four-hour meeting with Governor Patrick Dumont in Las Vegas during December. Mark Cuban, who holds a 27 percent stake in the franchise, acknowledged in an interview that he has spoken with Ujiri only once by phone, a conversation lasting approximately two minutes. Cuban stated that he expected this arrangement when the Mavericks hired Ujiri, confirming that his mandate was to manage all basketball decisions independently.

The executive's background made him the natural choice for the role. Ujiri, 55, spent 15 seasons running basketball operations in Denver and Toronto, compiling a 690-504 record and leading teams to the playoffs in 12 of those seasons. His Denver roster won an NBA championship in 2013 with the Nuggets, and he later constructed the team that brought Toronto its championship in 2019.

Reshaping the Roster for Flagg

Within weeks of his arrival, Ujiri orchestrated the departure of coach Jason Kidd on May 19 and replaced him with Dusty May on June 23. The executive stated that the franchise required "a clean slate to go forward." In the June draft, the Mavericks selected Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall and traded up five positions to acquire Sergio de Larrea from the New York Knicks. A six-team trade brought Santi Aldama and Marcus Sasser to Dallas, with Aldama arriving from Memphis. In July, Ujiri completed a three-team trade to add Zaccharie Risacher to the rotation.

According to ESPN analysis, Ujiri's acquisitions were specifically chosen to support Flagg's development. Johnson provides two-way impact with physical play and ball movement, de Larrea creates scoring opportunities through vision, and Risacher offers perimeter spacing. The return of Kyrie Irving from a season-long ACL injury adds another scoring option, though the 34-year-old guard's impact remains uncertain given his time away from competition.

The moves signal a departure from the previous era marked by the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Ujiri has positioned the Mavericks as a team in transition toward a defined direction, setting the foundation for sustained competitiveness around Flagg moving into 2026-27 and beyond.