How Cooper Flagg Becomes Dallas’ Centerpiece After Anthony Davis Deal
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Dallas — The Mavericks officially shifted their future to 19-year-old forward Cooper Flagg after sending Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards at the Feb. 2026 trade deadline, a move that cut payroll nearly in half and opened new roster-building tools.
From blockbuster arrival to rapid departure
Dallas acquired Davis last summer in the stunning trade that moved longtime franchise star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis electrified the American Airlines Center crowd with a thunderous put-back dunk in his Oct. debut, shouting “I’m here!” Moments like that were rare. A series of injuries limited the 10-time All-Star to 29 regular-season games and two play-in appearances. The forward’s brief partnership with Kyrie Irving lasted less than three quarters before Irving tore an ACL in early March.
With Dallas 19-34 and seventh in the lottery standings, governor Patrick Dumont approved a salary-driven trade that shipped Davis and guards D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum to Washington. In return, the Mavericks received second-year guard AJ Johnson, Oklahoma City’s 2026 first-round pick, Golden State’s top-20-protected 2030 first-rounder and expiring contracts. The maneuver lowered team spending from an estimated $326 million (including tax) to roughly $165 million and created a $15.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception plus a $21 million trade exception.
Flagg era begins
“Crystal clear on the intent: It’s the Cooper Flagg era, no ifs, ands or buts,” a high-ranking team source told ESPN. The No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists, putting him on pace to join Luka Doncic, Michael Jordan and Larry Bird as the only rookies since the 1976 ABA-NBA merger to post 20-6-4 lines.
“It’s been different from what I expected, but I’m learning from the losses,” Flagg said. Despite the struggles, the rookie just recorded the highest-scoring three-game stretch by a teenager in league history.
Front-office overhaul and roster puzzle
The Davis exit followed the November firing of general manager Nico Harrison. Co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi handled the deadline, while Dumont vets external and internal candidates for a permanent head of basketball operations once the season ends.
“We had to look in the mirror,” Riccardi said after the trade. “Sometimes the path is not straightforward.”
Coach Jason Kidd added, “He’s 19. Now it’s for us to find pieces that fit.” Irving remains in those plans, though a return timetable is unsettled and rival executives believe holding him out until training camp could protect lottery odds.
Limited draft runway
This June represents Dallas’ final year controlling its own first-round pick during Flagg’s rookie contract. Future selections are committed to Charlotte (2027, top-two protected), Oklahoma City (2028 swap), Houston (2029 via Brooklyn) and San Antonio (2030 swap) from previous deals made to support Doncic.
The Mavericks possess their own likely top-10 choice plus Oklahoma City’s late first-rounder this year. Finley called that capital “the ability to go out and put the proper pieces around [Flagg] to make our team a championship contender.”
For now, the franchise leans on salary relief, two trade exceptions and its Rookie of the Year front-runner as it attempts a quick reset after the turbulent Davis-Doncic exchange.
Source: ESPN
