The Dallas Mavericks may have found a new franchise player in rookie forward Cooper Flagg after a surprising trade.
This Sunday marks one year since the Mavericks traded star guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for guard Max Christie, forward/center Anthony Davis, and a 2029 first-round pick. Since then, Dallas has struggled significantly.
The Mavericks, with a record of 19-30, have gone 32-50 since the trade, and Davis has only played 29 games (20 this season) due to injuries. In November 2025, the Mavericks let go of former general manager Nico Harrison, who made the controversial trade. Meanwhile, Doncic is currently leading the NBA in scoring with an average of 33.7 points per game.
However, there is some good news for the Mavericks. Their 2025 No. 1 pick, Flagg, is instilling some hope for the franchise’s future.
Cooper Flagg has made NBA history over his past two games
Flagg scored a season-high 49 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a close 123-121 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night. He followed this with a 34-point, 12-rebound game in a 111-107 loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday night. At just 19 years and 41 days old, he has become the youngest player in NBA history to achieve two consecutive games with double-doubles of 30 points or more.