DHJ Quick Take: Mavericks Leave Sergio De Larrea’s NBA Timeline Open
Mike Schmitz said the Mavericks have not decided when draft-and-stash guard Sergio De Larrea will join the roster, keeping both a 2026-27 arrival and a longer overseas stay in play.
- Who is Sergio De Larrea? A 6-foot-6 combo guard for Valencia, acquired via a draft-night trade with the New York Knicks at No. 25.
- What did Mike Schmitz say about the timeline? That the team is still working through whether De Larrea arrives next year or the year after, and that his size and IQ are the draw.
- Why does it matter? It signals Dallas views De Larrea as a long-term developmental piece around Cooper Flagg rather than an immediate-impact addition.
- What’s next? The Mavericks continue evaluating internal and external options in free agency under Masai Ujiri and Dusty May.
DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks are still mapping out when Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea will join the roster, general manager Mike Schmitz said, leaving open whether the 20-year-old reports for the 2026-27 season or remains overseas a year longer.
Dallas acquired De Larrea’s draft rights in a draft-night trade with the New York Knicks, who selected him at No. 25 before routing the pick to the Mavericks. He is widely projected as a draft-and-stash prospect expected to stay with Valencia in the near term.
Asked whether De Larrea would suit up for Dallas next season and play in Summer League, Schmitz declined to set a timeline.
“We’re still working through all of that with Sergio,” Schmitz said. “Whether it’s next year or the following year, just to have that level of size and IQ in our program is huge for us.”
Sergio De Larrea’s Profile and Fit With the Mavericks
De Larrea is a 6-foot-6, 205-pound combo guard who averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 23 games for Valencia Basket last season, shooting 45.2% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range. The Valladolid, Spain, native was named the 2026 Liga ACB Best Young Player and earned All-Liga ACB Young Players Team honors for a second straight season. He was also named MVP of the 2025 Spanish Super Cup. Schmitz said the staff watched Valencia’s championship game together and spoke with De Larrea afterward.
Schmitz pointed to size, feel, and shooting as the traits that make De Larrea a fit alongside cornerstone Cooper Flagg, and said the guard’s outside shot has been his biggest area of growth.
“He’s improved physically a ton,” Schmitz said. “The shooting has been a huge area of growth over the last few years. Now you see him making threes off the dribble and shooting the ball well off the catch.”
De Larrea and Flagg crossed paths at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup in Malaga, a tournament Schmitz said he attended in person. De Larrea has since represented Spain internationally, winning gold at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup and competing at 2025 EuroBasket, where he averaged 5.4 points and 4.4 assists.
Mike Schmitz on the Mavericks’ Draft Class
De Larrea joins a class that opened with Morez Johnson Jr., the Michigan forward Dallas took at No. 9, and closed with Tobi Lawal, the Virginia Tech forward selected at No. 48. Lawal averaged 12.3 points and 8.5 rebounds per game for the Hokies last season and posted a 45-inch vertical at the NBA Draft Combine, the best mark in the class.
Schmitz said the group raised the roster’s size, athleticism, and basketball IQ across multiple positions, and emphasized the priority placed on adding winners. De Larrea and Johnson both won championships this season, and the front office paired them with championship coach Dusty May, who joined the draft room.
“Because our goal is to win at the highest level,” Schmitz said. “We feel the best way to do that is to bring in winners and people who impact winning in different ways.”
Schmitz said the front office, led by president Masai Ujiri, will continue evaluating internal and external options in free agency.
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