Trading Anthony Davis all but signaled the Dallas Mavericks’ intentions to build around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg. In his maiden season in the NBA, Flagg has shown that he belongs in the big league with his impressive performances on both ends of the floor.
The mammoth trade that sent Davis to the Washington Wizards netted a bunch of picks and a veteran presence in Khris Middleton, along with AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, and a slew of draft picks.
Mark Cuban Reveals Mavericks’ Plans To Aid Cooper Flagg’s Growth
In his latest episode of The Bill Simmons podcast, the analyst lavished praise on Flagg for his ability to break down the game and improve his offensive ceiling midway into the season. He labeled the former Duke star as “an offensive player” even as most teams have struggled to contain the forward.
Wait till we get him spacing so teams can’t pack the paint https://t.co/jL6NgFcjlL
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) February 5, 2026
Responding to his post on X was Cuban. “Wait till we get him spacing so teams can’t pack the paint,” the team’s minority owner said.
A look at Flagg’s season so far shows his aggressive approach when attacking the paint. His size further helps him dominate opponents, and his elite passing creates more shot-making opportunities for the shooters. Pairing him with reliable shooting options will mean increasing his assist numbers, which currently stand at 4.2 per game.
It is safe to believe that the slew of picks could serve as deal sweeteners, as Dallas will look to add some shooting around Flagg this summer.
The moves come on the back of Flagg’s historic night last month. The forward dropped 49 points during the team’s loss to the Charlotte Hornets, breaking the franchise’s rookie scoring record he shared with Mark Aguirre.
“Mark Aguirre is special. Such a special night for him and the whole organization,” said Flagg, according to NBC Sports. “I just feel blessed. It’s a pretty cool thing.”
Also in praise of the young star was the Mavericks head coach, Jason Kidd. “You saw history,” Kidd said. “We saw history at halftime, and we got to see a young man play the game at a very high level.
Flagg is also running to win ‘Rookie of the Year’ honors with his scintillating season. He averages 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 48.4% from the field and 29.4% from the three-point line.
It has been a forgettable season for the Mavericks. With a 19-31 record, they are placed 12th in a stacked Western Conference and currently out of playoff reckoning.
