The Dallas Mavericks entered the 2026 NBA Draft with the #9 pick, the #30 pick and a fair amount of trade rumors swirling around them. After selecting Morez Johnson, Jr. at #9, things went dreadfully quiet on the trade front. As subsequent picks were made and the minutes ticked by, it seemed apparent that Dallas would be making a selection at #30 instead of packaging that pick with a veteran in an effort to move up the draft board. Any hope at picking up a young guard to help in the rebuild looked bleak.
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Cowboys at Commanders: The good, the bad, and the ugly from the regular-season finale
It started off a little shaky, but the Dallas Cowboys were able to take care of business in the regular-season finale with a 38-10 victory over their division rival, the Washington Commanders. They will now set their sights on the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy’s former team, when they host them next week at AT&T Stadium in the playoffs.
Before we shift our focus on to the playoffs and the Green Bay Packers, let’s take a look back at the Week 18 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders and identify the good, the bad, and the ugly from this game. Who knows? Maybe we can even learn something from it.
THE GOOD – Tony Pollard
CeeDee Lamb being CeeDee Lamb is no doubt one of the bright spots from the Dallas Cowboys regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders, however, it was really good to see Tony Pollard ball out and return to his pre-injury form just in time for the postseason. He finished the night with 17 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown, and in so doing, hit the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season in a row. This was quite possibly the best he’s looked all season as both a runner, receiver, and even as a pass protector. If he can carry this over into the playoffs Dallas’ offense could be close to unstoppable.
Tony Pollard also eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in 2023. He’s the sixth running back in team history to have consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, joining Calvin Hill, Tony Dorsett, Emmitt Smith, DeMarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott.
— Dallas Cowboys Public Relations (@DallasCowboysPR) January 7, 2024
THE BAD – Stephon Gilmore’s injury
In an ideal world the Dallas Cowboys would’ve walked away from FedEx Field with the victory and absolutely zero injuries. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Stephon Gilmore exited the game early with a shoulder injury in the second quarter and didn’t return at any point in the second half. As players go, if he’s unable to play next week in the playoffs or if he’s limited, that’s a significant blow to the Cowboys secondary. He’s been a godsend for Dallas’ secondary after Trevon Diggs’ season-ending injury and will be needed just as much, if not more so, in the postseason. Luckily, it’s looking not too serious.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy on CB Stephon Gilmore (shoulder): “He told me he was fine and he’d be ready to go.”
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 8, 2024
THE UGLY – Brandon Aubrey
Having his first FG attempt blocked and his next “doink” off the upright, Brandon Aubrey was suddenly giving Dallas Cowboys fans Brent Maher vibes after being automatic all season on field goals. Fortunately he was able to redeem himself by splitting the uprights right down the middle on his next and final attempt from 50 yards. The thought of entering the postseason once again with a liability at kicker is not something any of us wanted to see. Fortunately, he closed out the regular-season on a high note and looked unfazed by his previous misses. Chalk it up to nerves or whatever you want, but there’s no need to worry.
THANK YOU … BRANDON AUBREY NAILS IT FROM 50. BACK IN THE SADDLE. HUGE KICK FOR HIS PSYCHE. SLUMP-BUSTER. DEMON-KILLER.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) January 8, 2024
A 12-year-old Dallas middle-schooler ended up on the streets, where a pimp discovered her. For as little as $50, he sold her for sex. He withheld food unless she worked. She later disappeared into the state’s foster care system after suffering from depression. She attempted suicide.
A 13-year-old seventh- grader was forced to have sex with men in Houston by a pimp who hooked her on drugs. She died shortly after turning 18 from a fentanyl overdose — a few months before her abuser was sentenced to prison.
A 17-year-old Lubbock runaway was required to have sex with men in hotels and truck stops until she earned her pimp $1,000 daily. That quota meant seeing up to 20 “clients” per day. She spiraled into drug addiction.
These children have more in common than the abuse they endured — and the lifelong trauma that comes with it. Each was mandated by federal law to receive financial compensation from the pimps and pedophiles who abused them.
You can read more in-depth reporting from our media partner, The Dallas Morning News.
With the #30 pick, Dallas selected Koa Peat, Adam Silver said goodnight and that was that. Except it wasn’t. As the first round of the Draft was concluding, rumors started buzzing that the Mavericks were in fact making a move. Details are still being confirmed, but as it stands, Dallas will be trading the #30 pick Koa Peat and two future second-round draft picks to the New York Knicks in exchange for Sergio DeLarrea’s services. The exact second-rounders were still being determined late Tuesday night.
Here are the details we have at this time:
Los Angeles Lakers Received: 24th Overall Pick (Cameron Carr, Baylor)
Dallas Mavericks Received: 25th Overall (Sergio de Larrea, Spain)
Phoenix Suns Received: 30th Overall (Koa Peat, Arizona)
New York Knicks Received: Cash (Lakers), two second-round picks (Mavericks), and three more second-round picks (Suns)
DeLarrea was on the radar of a number of Mavs Moneyball staffers, perhaps none more than Tyler Edsel who wrote an excellent crash course on him and what he can bring to the Mavs. To be clear, it is unlikely he is going to have a massive day-one impact on the team, but the Mavericks really needed to do something to acquire more young talent that fit a position of need. While he may not be as flashy a name as Brayden Burries (whom the Mavs skipped over in favor of Morez) or Labaron Philon, Jr. (who somewhat surprisingly slipped to #22), Dallas really needed to do bolster the guard position and they came through.
If DeLarrea’s shooting transfers to the NBA level, it would be a big boon for a team that struggled from downtown much of last season. While not an immediate impact player, Dallas did well to move up a bit in a low-cost move that keeps all of their other assets intact for what will surely be a summer of retooling via trades and free agency.
Stay tuned for updates, as it is unclear which second-round picks the Mavericks will let go of in this deal.
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What Drake London’s new deal could mean for George Pickens
Falcons WR Drake London is now the NFL’s third-highest paid wide receiver in AAV, signing a four-year, $141 million extension with $100 million guaranteed and $35.26 million per year.
London, who is 25, is the same age as Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens, and both are heading into their fifth seasons in the NFL. Pickens too was seeking a long-term contract, but the Cowboys told him and his representation that would not happen this offseason, and he instead signed his $27.3 million franchise tag that keep shim under contract for the 2026 season.
Pickens’ one-year deal on the tag makes him the 17th highest-paid wide receiver in the league in AAV. Should Pickens go out and post a year similar to his 2025 campaign where he had more than 1,400 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, a deal similar to London’s may be in the ballpark of what Pickens could seek. For reference, CeeDee Lamb is the league’s fifth-highest paid WR at $34 million annually. If Pickens surpasses him and is closer to London’s $35 million per year mark, he and Lamb would become the highest-paid WR duo in NFL history, surpassing the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, who currently combine for $69 million per year. – Tommy Yarrish
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