The NBA world was left reeling when the Dallas Mavericks, in a stunning turn of events, won the NBA Draft Lottery, securing the chance to draft Duke phenom Cooper Flagg at the end of the month. This improbable victory capped a chaotic sequence for the Mavericks, who had traded away their superstar Luka Doncic—still in his prime at 25—to the Los Angeles Lakers and then faltered in the final game of the Play-In Tournament. Jumping from the 11th spot to the No. 1 overall pick, with just a 1.8% chance, raised eyebrows across the league.
While the NBA Draft Lottery is designed to be impossible and illegal to rig, that hasn’t stopped rampant speculation about the legitimacy of Dallas’ leap. The Mavericks’ unlikely fortune has sparked debates, with fans and analysts questioning how such a low-probability outcome could occur after the team’s high-profile trade of Doncic, a megastar fresh off an NBA Finals appearance.
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green added fuel to the fire during a recent appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. When host Jimmy Kimmel asked about the blockbuster Doncic trade, Green revealed his shock. “I couldn’t believe it,” Green said. “Superstars at 25 don’t get traded. Luka’s a megastar, just coming off the NBA Finals. You just don’t see that in the NBA. I immediately wondered, ‘I have to be next if Luka’s being traded.’”
Draymond Green talks about Luka Dončić trade on @JimmyKimmelLive pic.twitter.com/ryMHRjN668
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) June 6, 2025
Green initially thought the news was about a different blockbuster deal, recalling how he heard teammate Stephen Curry “going crazy” over what he assumed was a Kevin Durant trade that Warriors owner Joe Lacob had hinted at. Instead, the news of Doncic’s departure left Green stunned.
When Kimmel pressed Green on the Mavericks’ lottery win and whether it seemed suspicious, Green didn’t hold back entirely. “Although he suspends me often and fines me often, I still consider Adam Silver a friend, so I’m not gonna do him like that,” Green said with a smirk. “But it may be a little suspicious. Just a tad.”
Green’s comments, while lighthearted, have only amplified the conspiracy theories swirling around the Mavericks’ lottery triumph. For a franchise that seemed to self-sabotage by trading Doncic, the No. 1 pick offers a lifeline, with Cooper Flagg—a standout forward who recently played in the 2025 NCAA Tournament semifinals for Duke—poised to become the cornerstone of their rebuild. Flagg’s performance, despite Duke’s loss to the Houston Cougars at the Alamodome on April 5, 2025, has cemented his status as a generational talent.
As the NBA Draft approaches, the Mavericks’ lottery win continues to dominate headlines, with Green’s remarks adding intrigue to an already controversial situation. While no evidence supports claims of impropriety, the improbable nature of Dallas’ rise has left many wondering: could there be more to this story?