With Masai Ujiri in charge, the Mavericks’ next international draft conversation includes Karim Lopez

As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches on June 23 and 24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, the Dallas Mavericks’ offseason planning is beginning to take a more global shape. The hiring of Masai Ujiri as team president, with a mandate over roster construction, player personnel, and scouting, has also re-centered how Dallas might value developmental risk versus high-upside traits in the draft.

In that context, a Yahoo Sports column circulated the idea that Dallas could target Karim Lopez, a polarizing international prospect, as a “prototype” swing under Ujiri’s watch. That remains unconfirmed and should be treated as speculation, not a roadmap for the Mavericks’ draft board. But the framework reflects a real organizational question: whether Dallas should use its draft capital on a young wing whose most valuable tools show up first on the defensive end and in transition, with the perimeter game still a work in progress.

Lopez brings the profile of a modern switchable forward. The NBA’s 2026 Draft profile lists him at 6-foot-8, with a background that includes pro development in Spain with Joventut Badalona, and then two seasons in Australia with the New Zealand Breakers in the NBL’s Next Stars pathway. In 2025-26, ’s draft profile highlights averages of 11.9 points and 6.1 rebounds, along with 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks. It also notes that his athletic downhill style helps him finish inside, while his outside shooting development is the key swing factor.

The upside argument for Dallas is straightforward. ’s scouting assessment emphasizes defensive potential, physicality, and position flexibility, projecting Lopez as someone who could contribute early because of professional reps abroad and his ability to protect the rim and create plays from pressure. Even comparisons in the league’s draft materials are rooted in that blend of size and athleticism, not on-ball polish.

Still, there are legitimate reasons Lopez could be viewed as “polarizing,” especially for a team that has to weigh fit against future development. ’s projection explicitly ties his next leap to improved three-point shooting and ballhandling, two areas that can determine whether a young forward becomes an immediate rotation piece or a longer-term project. The Mavericks, under Ujiri’s new oversight, will likely be judged on how they calibrate that balance.

Lopez’s draft eligibility timeline has already turned the conversation from “emerging prospect” into “draft subject.” reported that he declared for the 2026 NBA Draft on March 24, 2026, and described ESPN’s big board placement of No. 11. In that same reporting, Lopez discussed the NBL learning curve and his intent to show NBA teams more of his game, adding that he aims to grow while already believing he can play.

What to watch now is how Dallas uses the draft as a supplement to its roster direction. If the Mavericks prioritize length, defensive switchability, and international upside under Ujiri’s scouting approach, Lopez fits the broad archetype. If they instead lean toward immediate spacing and a more finished offensive role, Dallas could pass on the developmental swing and pursue a safer profile. Either way, Lopez’s next professional stage will be defined by whether his shot can expand and whether his athletic gifts translate consistently against NBA wings and bigs.