Mavericks hire Masai Ujiri as team president — "We've planted a Flagg here"

Masai Ujiri to Dallas. The Mavericks made it official Tuesday — Ujiri takes over as team president and alternate governor on a five-year deal worth a reported $80 million. The man who hoisted the trophy in Toronto in 2019 inherits a 26-56 Mavs team and the No. 1 overall pick from last June.

The message at the introductory presser was unmistakable. Asked about the future, Ujiri leaned into the line everyone was waiting for: "We've planted a Flagg here." Cooper Flagg's the centerpiece. Everything else is on the table.

That includes Jason Kidd. Ujiri wouldn't commit to keeping his head coach when pressed. He also wouldn't commit to anything else — not the front office structure, not Kyrie Irving's role, not the timing of any roster move. What he did commit to was patience and process: Dallas has a building block, a top pick, cap flexibility, and now a president with a championship ring. The next twelve months will tell you what kind of team this is going to be.