The Dallas Mavericks have locked up first-round choose Sergio de Larrea, signing the Spanish guard to a four-year, $16.3 million rookie contract. NBA insider Marc Stein reported Friday that the deal is definitely worth the full 120% of the rookie scale, finishing the signing of the No. 25 total choice acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers on draft night time.
The contract comes as Dallas prepares to combine De Larrea into its rebuilding core following a disappointing 26-56 marketing campaign in 2025-26. The Mavericks completed twelfth within the Western Convention and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season, prompting an offseason targeted on creating younger expertise alongside reigning Rookie of the Yr Cooper Flagg.
De Larrea is anticipated to make his first look in a Mavericks uniform throughout NBA Summer time League subsequent week. The occasion will present Dallas with an early alternative to guage his means to run an offense, create scoring alternatives, defend NBA guards, and translate his perimeter capturing towards higher-level competitors.
The 19-year-old arrives after 4 skilled seasons with Valencia, one in every of Spain’s premier golf equipment. His best marketing campaign got here in Liga Endesa through the 2025-26 season, the place he averaged 9.7 factors, 3.7 assists, and three.0 rebounds in 18.3 minutes over 28 video games. He shot 44.3% from the sphere and a formidable 40.7% from three-point vary whereas changing 83.3% of his free throws.
These numbers represented important progress in offensive accountability. De Larrea’s elevated function in Spain’s home league contrasted together with his extra restricted minutes within the EuroLeague, the place he averaged 3.6 factors and a pair of.2 assists in 10.7 minutes throughout 26 appearances whereas capturing 40.3% from the sphere and 34.3% from past the arc. The distinction mirrored Valencia’s deeper veteran rotation in European competitors reasonably than a decline in his total improvement.
Throughout 95 skilled appearances with Valencia, De Larrea averaged 6.0 factors, 2.7 assists, and a pair of.1 rebounds whereas capturing 44.9% total and 41.0% from three-point vary. His exterior capturing has persistently been one in every of his strongest attributes, though enhancing his playmaking effectivity—he averaged 2.7 assists towards 1.5 turnovers—might be an necessary a part of his transition to the NBA.
Dallas has already added one other lottery expertise this offseason after deciding on Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth total choose earlier than buying and selling for De Larrea later within the first spherical. The Mavericks additionally drafted Tobi Lawal and Vsevolod Ishchenko within the second spherical, giving the franchise a number of developmental prospects because it reshapes its roster.
The Mavericks’ long-term basis already options Flagg, who averaged 21.0 factors, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Max Christie emerged as one other key contributor by averaging 12.3 factors whereas capturing 40.4% from three, and Daniel Gafford anchored the inside with 9.5 factors, 6.9 rebounds, and 65.5% capturing from the sphere.
