The Dallas Mavericks are navigating a tumultuous period, marked by significant changes and challenges as they strive to find their footing in the NBA landscape. The forerunner for the team’s most valuable player award is 18-year-old Flagg. They’re dealing with last week’s firing of General Manager Nico Harrison and what that means for roster decisions moving forward. As Dallas looks deeper into the offseason and beyond, there are some more immediate concerns that linger in the realm of offensive production, player health and trade strategy.
With Nico Harrison’s unexpected ouster last week, the Mavericks have a real opportunity for a fresh start. Under his leadership, the team was emboldened to take risks, making aggressive moves such as trades for star players Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Yet, even with all of those acquisitions, Dallas currently sits at 29th in offensive efficiency, a damning number that speaks to the need for drastic measures. Irving’s return from injury can’t come soon enough, as the Mavericks have had the worst on-court playmaking in the league during his absence.
Dallas don’t owe their first-round draft pick until 2028. This will be the last of the picks that they control until 2031, though they do have another pick from the Los Angeles Lakers coming in 2029. The team will be without a first-round pick in 2027 unless it falls within the top-two picks. This lack of immediate assets adds pressure on the Mavericks to maximize their current roster.
Despite his youth, Flagg has become the leader of the RoughRiders’ motley crew of prospects and cast-offs and Baum’s crown jewel as a High-A ace. In addition to Flagg, players such as Russell and Brandon Williams have shared the point guard duties so far this early season. Nonetheless, the team’s overall performance has suffered due to a dire need for playmaking until Irving returns to full health.
These are just a few of the many challenges Dallas faces. The team is already over the first apron and is projected to go over the second apron, too. This concoction of financial troubles, while unfortunate, will continue to leave the Mavericks hamstrung and ill-equipped to successfully navigate the landscape of developing their roster. Today’s starting five would have Davis in addition to Flagg, and either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford. They have a hard time with spacing on the court. The lack of spacing with an excess of non-shooters leads to barriers for effective offense.
Analysts suggest that trading Davis for perimeter talent could rebalance Dallas’ roster and place other players in better positions to succeed. Even with his injury history and notshakable contract—projected to be at a whopping $175 million—there’s still a trade market for Davis. As one Eastern Conference executive told Heavy on Sports, there is a cloudy set of perceptions surrounding Davis and his value.
“You have to look at what he did the prior two seasons with the Lakers, his short tenure in Dallas and then the future.” – An Eastern Conference executive
There’s a worry about committing big dollars to a player starting to enter that middle-age career stage. As one Western Conference exec noted, there are huge risks in making that trade.
“While you can point to Davis as a top-20 player in Los Angeles, it is a $175 million gamble and perhaps more, if you trade for him.” – A Western Conference executive
These comments are indicative of the indecision about what kind of impact Davis can have on the Mavericks’ success in the long term. The executive touched on the wider financial impact of extending a contract for a player of that age.
“The extension and paying a player in their mid-30s an average of $69 million and the last nine months in Dallas is what scares me.” – A Western Conference executive
Dallas’ woes are magnified by their horrible inability to simply make shots. The lack of playmakers has put a tremendous burden on the team’s ability to create scoring chances. As exciting as Flagg’s arrival is, the fact that he is so young means there is an even larger burden of expectation for him to be instantly impactful.
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