Everyone knew it was coming. When the Dallas Mavericks took Cooper Flagg with the number one overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, it wasn't just a basketball move; it was a massive financial shift for a franchise looking for its next cornerstone. You've probably seen the highlights—the 42-point explosion against the Jazz, the chase-down blocks that look like something out of a video game—but the actual nuts and bolts of the cooper flagg rookie contract are where things get really interesting. People see the $62.7 million total and think it’s just a straight-line deal. It's not.
NBA contracts are weirdly rigid yet full of specific levers.
Since we're currently early in 2026, we are seeing the first real fruits of this deal. Flagg is currently averaging about 19 points and 7 rebounds a night, which is exactly what you want from a guy making eight figures before he can legally buy a beer. But if you want to understand why the Mavs were so desperate to land him, you have to look at the "rookie scale" and how it protects—and sometimes limits—the league's brightest stars.
The Money: Breaking Down the $62.7 Million
The cooper flagg rookie contract is a four-year deal worth a total of $62,730,226. Now, that sounds like a lot, and it is, but it’s essentially "pre-set" by the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
In the NBA, you don't really negotiate your first contract if you're a first-round pick. You get what the slot says you get. Because the salary cap for the 2025-26 season jumped to roughly $154.6 million, the rookie scale moved with it.
Here is how that $62.7 million actually hits the Mavericks' books:
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- Year 1 (2025-26): $13,825,920
- Year 2 (2026-27): $14,517,480
- Year 3 (2027-28): $15,208,680 (Team Option)
- Year 4 (2028-29): $19,178,145 (Team Option)
It’s important to see that only the first two years—roughly $28.3 million—are fully guaranteed. The Mavericks hold "team options" for years three and four.
Honestly, there is a zero percent chance they don't pick those up unless something catastrophic happens. It’s basically a formality for a player of Flagg's caliber. By the time he hits that fourth year, he'll be making nearly $20 million, which, given the way the cap is spiking, will probably look like a massive bargain.
Why the "120% Rule" Matters
You might hear cap nerds talk about the "120% rule." Basically, the NBA has a base "scale" amount for every draft slot, but teams are allowed to sign players for anywhere between 80% and 120% of that number.
In reality? Everyone gets the 120%.
If a team offered the #1 pick only 100% of the scale, the agent would lose their mind. The cooper flagg rookie contract is at that max 120% level. It’s why his first-year salary sits at that $13.8 million mark rather than the "base" $11.5 million scale figure. It’s the standard "welcome to the league" tax for teams lucky enough to win the lottery.
The Comparison Game
To put this in perspective, look at how fast these numbers are climbing. Victor Wembanyama, the 2023 top pick, started at around $12.2 million. Zaccharie Risacher in 2024 was at $12.6 million. Flagg jumping to $13.8 million shows just how much more money is flowing into the league. By the end of this deal, Flagg will be eligible for a "Designated Rookie Extension." If he makes an All-NBA team before then, he could be looking at a five-year deal worth well over $300 million.
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This current $62 million is just the appetizer.
The Impact on the Mavericks' Roster
Landing Flagg wasn't just about his talent; it was about his price point. In the NBA, a superstar on a rookie contract is the single most valuable asset in sports.
Think about it.
You have a guy playing like an All-Star but only taking up about 9% of your total salary cap. This "surplus value" is what allowed Dallas to keep pieces like Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively III together while still having room to navigate. If Flagg was a veteran making his "true" market value, he’d easily be commanding $45 million a year right now. Instead, the cooper flagg rookie contract gives the Mavs a massive competitive window where they can overspend on other positions while their best player is essentially on a "discount."
What Happens if He Outperforms the Deal?
He already is.
Flagg's historic 42-point game in December 2025 proved that he’s not just a "good rookie"—he’s a franchise-altering force. He became the youngest player ever to hit 40, passing LeBron James. But under the current CBA, he can't just go to the Mavs and ask for a raise. He has to wait until after his third season to even talk about an extension.
That creates a weird tension.
He’s currently one of the most productive players in the league but ranks nowhere near the top 50 in salary. This is why off-court deals are so huge for him. He already has massive partnerships with New Balance, Gatorade, and Fanatics. These endorsements likely dwarf his $13.8 million NBA salary this year. For a kid from Newport, Maine, the money is coming from everywhere, but the NBA check is the one that is strictly regulated by the league's math.
Looking Ahead: The 2029 Supermax
If you're a Mavs fan, you're already looking at the summer of 2028. That’s when the team can officially offer the "extension" that keeps Flagg in Dallas through the mid-2030s.
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The cooper flagg rookie contract is designed to lead into a "Rose Rule" extension. If Flagg wins an MVP or makes two All-NBA teams during these first four years, he can jump his starting salary on the next deal to 30% of the cap instead of 25%. We are talking about a jump that could be worth $50 million or more over the life of the contract.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are tracking the financial trajectory of the league, Flagg is the blueprint. His contract represents the peak of the current rookie wage scale. Here is what you should keep an eye on as his rookie season continues:
- Watch the All-NBA Votes: This isn't just about prestige anymore. If Flagg sneaks onto a Third Team All-NBA list in the next couple of years, his future earning potential shifts by tens of millions of dollars.
- The Year 3 Option: The Mavericks have until October 31, 2026, to officially exercise the third-year option on the cooper flagg rookie contract. Expect them to do this the second the window opens.
- Trade Value: While Dallas would never trade him, his contract is "poison pilled" in certain trade scenarios because of how rookie extensions work. It makes him almost impossible to move for an equivalent star, further locking him into the Dallas ecosystem.
The $62.7 million is a lot of money to us, but in the world of the NBA, it's a bargain for a player who might just be the face of the league by 2030.