Every year, NBA franchises – and technical crew members – have to make critical roster cuts that could redefine the face of the squad. Often, trades get fans excited when established superstars or promising rookies join their favorite teams. At other times, the trades get practically everyone a little nervous – including players who seem to have benefited from them.
The latter appears to be the case with the Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg, whose franchise has clearly chosen to be the face of their future plans. Mavericks’ fans might need some time to adapt to the choice, and so will Flagg.
Cooper Flagg Says Being Face of Mavericks’ Future Is Tough
The Dallas Mavericks on Thursday officially declared Cooper Flagg as the franchise’s future face after trading Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. The decision was a long time coming, anyway, especially after Dallas traded 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and got fans into a frenzy.
While speaking about the announcement of a three-team trade involving Bune players and five draft picks, co-interim general manager Michael Finley praised Cooper Flagg as “an unbelievable player.”
Cooper Flagg on his reaction to the Anthony Davis trade & the #Mavs’ decision to build around him:
“It’s tough. They were all amazing guys to be around, on and off the court. I wish them all the best and I’m just blessed to be here.” pic.twitter.com/3awQIwHGTd
— Mike Curtis (@MikeACurtis2) February 6, 2026
“When you have that type of draft capital, it gives yourself the ability to go out and put the proper pieces around him (Flagg) to make our team, like I keep stressing, a championship contender,” he asserts.
Flagg entered Thursday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs as the first teenager with three consecutive 30-point games, the first being the 19-year-old’s 49-point show against Charlotte (a league record for the under-20 group). Flagg followed that high-profile performance with 34 points against Houston and 36 against Boston.
Reacting to the announcement on Thursday night, Cooper Flagg admitted to the potential challenges of being the center of the Mavericks’ future project. In his words:
“It’s tough. They were all amazing guys to be around, on and off the court. I wish them all the best and I’m just blessed to be here.”
As it stands, the teenager’s rookie year is nearly complete, amid what appears to be a second consecutive season for the Mavericks without a playoff trip since the 2024 NBA Finals.
