Dallas Mavericks Acquire Spanish Guard Sergio De Larrea in Draft Night Trade with New York Knicks
The Dallas Mavericks traded the 30th overall pick Koa Peat and two second-round selections to the New York Knicks on draft night in exchange for Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea, the 25th overall pick, who averaged 9.7 points and 3.7 assists for Valencia Basket Club this season.
Dallas Mavericks Acquire Spanish Guard Sergio De Larrea in Draft Night Trade with New York Knicks
The Dallas Mavericks wasted no time making a splash on draft night. Fresh off selecting Arizona forward Koa Peat with the 30th overall pick, Dallas pivoted quickly — flipping their own first-round selection to the New York Knicks in exchange for Spanish guard Sergio De Larrea. The move signals that the Mavericks have a clear vision for their backcourt's future and weren't willing to wait to execute it.
The Deal Breakdown
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Dallas sent Koa Peatand two second-round picks to New York shortly after the draft concluded its first round. In return, the Mavericks received De Larrea, who had been selected by the Knicks with the 25th overall pick earlier in the evening. The Knicks, continuing their own draft night maneuvering, subsequently moved Peat to the Phoenix Suns in a separate deal.
Sources: New York traded No. 25 pick Sergio De Larrea to the Dallas Mavericks for No. 30 Koa Peat and two second-round picks. And then the Knicks traded Peat to the Phoenix Suns for three-rounders and cash. So Knicks move out of the first round -- pick up 5 seconds and cash.
For Dallas, the trade represents a deliberate and calculated bet on European talent, a strategy that has paid dividends across the NBA landscape in recent years. Trading back and giving up Peat along with two future second-rounders is a meaningful price, but one the Mavericks clearly felt was worth paying to land a player they had identified as a high-priority target.
Who Is Sergio De Larrea?
At just 20 years old, De Larrea arrives in Dallas with four seasoned years of professional basketball already under his belt. The Spanish guard has been developing his game with Valencia Basket Club in Spain's Liga Endesa, one of the premier professional leagues in Europe, while also gaining invaluable experience competing against elite international competition in EuroLeague play.
This past season, De Larrea appeared in 28 games for Valencia, averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Those numbers, particularly his assist total, point to a player who understands how to create for others and operate within a structured offensive system, a trait that should translate well alongside Dallas's existing roster pieces.
A Fit That Makes Sense for Dallas
The Mavericks have shown a consistent appetite for smart, skilled European players who can contribute in multiple areas on both ends of the floor. De Larrea fits that mold. His ability to score, distribute, and compete against grown men in a top-tier European league at such a young age suggests a floor that is already established and a ceiling that remains wide open.
Dallas will now be tasked with developing De Larrea and integrating him into an NBA environment, but the foundation is clearly there. If he can make the adjustment to the speed and physicality of the NBA game, the Mavericks may have found a long-term building block in the backcourt at a relatively modest cost, making this one of the more intriguing moves of the 2026 NBA Draft.
