Dusty May’s arrival in Dallas has put one Michigan name on the map at No. 9.
The Mavericks hired May to help build around Cooper Flagg.
They could now hand him one of the frontcourt anchors from his national-title team.
Aday Mara emerges as a Mavericks candidate after Dusty May hire
Aday Mara is the most obvious Michigan connection for Dallas at No. 9, and not just because May knows him better than any coach in this draft.
The Mavericks need long-term stability at center. Dereck Lively II still has upside, but his availability is a concern after recurring foot and ankle issues limited him to seven games last season and required surgery.
Mara would give the Mavericks a high-level backup immediately, and a different type of starting-center bet long term. Lively is at his best as a mobile rim runner, lob target, and switch-capable defender. Mara is bigger at 7-foot-3 and 260 pounds, with more passing feel, post touch, and drop-coverage shot blocking.
NBA.com lists Mara as a Michigan center who averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks while winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. He also helped Michigan win both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, giving May a ready-made understanding of how to use him.
That matters next to Flagg. Mara can screen, pass from the elbow, punish smaller defenders, protect the rim, and let Flagg roam as a weakside defender. May already saw that frontcourt ecosystem work in college. Dallas would ask him to scale it up.
Michigan draft trio gives Mavericks trade-down options
Mara is the No. 9 swing, but the Michigan connection does not stop there.
Yaxel Lendeborg and Morez Johnson Jr. should also be on Dallas’ board, especially if the rumored Oklahoma City trade-down framework becomes real. Dallas has been linked with swapping No. 9 for the Thunder’s No. 12 and No. 17 picks, turning one lottery shot into two first-round additions.
That could put both players in range. Lendeborg is a 6-foot-9 forward who won Big Ten Player of the Year after averaging 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals. He would give Dallas a pro-ready connector next to Flagg.
Johnson is the more physical frontcourt option, averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds while making the Big Ten All-Defensive Team. He profiles as a high-motor rebounder who can defend, finish, and play either power forward or small-ball center.
If Dallas stays at No. 9, Mara is the May pick with the clearest logic. If the Mavericks move down, May’s old Michigan frontcourt could become the fastest way to rebuild Flagg’s supporting cast.
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