Cooper Flagg is indeedthe real deal.
The 6-foot-9 forward, who was picked first in last year's NBA Draft, entered the league with lofty expectations and has seemingly made a reality of them. That doesn't happen often.
Flagg's production and ability to adapt to the NBA are wildly encouraging, to the point where theDallas Maverickscan now do something they perhaps didn't feel comfortable doing immediately after the draft:
Build around the Maine native.
No more attention to trio of aging stars
The Mavericks have a cast of older stars, including Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, and have lived with the misplaced idea that an aging team is closer to a championship than a young one.
(The idea of veterans being more championship proven isn't wrong, but when one is nursing an ACL tear, another is constantly in and out of the lineup due to a myriad of injuries, and the last one is no longer playing like a star on any level, it's difficult to justify such a position.)
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With the emergence of Flagg, there are now no more excuses to hang on to the above trio. In fact, it'd be irresponsible to do so, as that would just waste everyone's time.
Of course, pivoting off that trio is easier said than done.
While we aren't sure if Irving will ever return as the star he once was, he at least plays as an on-/off-ball combo to such an extent that teams close to a title will likely bring his name up in internal meetings as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches. But as far as trade value goes, the Mavericks can't justify a high price given Irving's ACL tear and the fact he turns 34 in March.
Thompson doesn't have much trade value, as he's about to turn 36 and manages just 11.7 points per game while struggling defensively. His best days are clearly behind him, and even if his financial compensation ($16.6 million this season, and $17.4 million next) is fairly modest, you can easily make the case that he'll get targeted defensively in the postseason, without adding enough juice offensively to justify such an acquisition.
As for Davis, well,I covered that in detailrecently. The TL;DR version is this: Old, expensive and often injured aren't attractive elements.
Yet, despite all of the above, the Mavs simply shouldn't care about the return, as long as they don't take on future money. If, by some miracle, they get offered expiring contracts for Davis, they should take it and run, as to better reset in the summer. If someone offers more, you act cool and don't call them back to confirm the legitimacy of the offer. (You got away with one there, Atlanta.)
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While Irving isn't as frequently injured as Davis, nor as expensive, you have to wonder if he's got enough value to ask for pick compensation. That should be the initial ask for Dallas, of course, but if offers come in that are limited to deals that expire, you at least gauge them. Extracting some kind of value for Irving, such as a young player early in his rookie contract, could also help seal the deal.
As for Thompson, there isn't a rush. But if you can get something for him that includes a second-round selection, you grab that as well.
What should Dallas be looking for?
If the idea is gathering cap space for Davis, Irving and Thompson — which it should be — it provides the Mavericks with the ability to design their own supporting cast.
Want to lean into shooting? Sign the best spot-up players who can play off Flagg and space the floor for him. Want to build a mean defensive frontline? Acquire a nasty trio of big men who can all board, defend and switch on the perimeter.
Because however the Mavericks slice it, their new focus is Flagg, and every major, as well as minor, roster decision has to be with him in mind.
They could also put forth an enormous effort in identifying Flagg's primary co-star, although that's highly unlikely to be found in free agency, which has become almost dormant of true stars in recent years. More than likely, that player will need to be acquired through trade. But that too grows significantly easier when Dallas has oodles of cap space at their disposal.
Of course, the observed mind will accurately ponder, "What about draft picks?" — which is absolutely a fair question given that Flagg is just 19 and will need players closer to his timeline.
This year's pick, their 2026 first-rounder, will have to be one of Dallas' primary building blocks. The Mavericks have full control of it, and the 2026 class is loaded. They have every single reason to be as bad as humanly possible to get a star this summer who is cost controlled and fits the aforementioned timeline.
As the Mavericks don't have much control of their future, in terms of draft equity, this year is — by far — their most important in terms of identifying another major piece to their forthcoming puzzle.
This is all to say they can't waste time. There is no reason to stay with the older core. If members of it are still on the roster as the Mavericks enter 2026-27, that would be a mistake.
