Cooper Flagg's fatal flaw may force the Mavericks into a franchise-altering trade

After Cooper Flagg shot below 30 percent from 3-point range as a rookie, the Dallas Mavericks have to get more shooting around him. Unfortunately, this could come at the cost of trading someone who is a key piece in their rotation and is beloved by fans, like Daniel Gafford and/or P.J. Washington.

Flagg's shooting could force Dallas to trade a beloved player

Both players played a key role in the Mavericks reaching the 2024 NBA Finals, and their physicality, tenacity, and energy helped create a new identity in Dallas since they arrived. Without them, they wouldn't have run through the Western Conference that year, and their addition to the roster truly changed everything for a team searching for answers.

About two years later, things are different. Gafford and Washington each played less than 60 games in the following two seasons after the Finals run, and their unreliability was one of the many reasons that Dallas struggled so much last season. On top of this, neither player's specialty is floor spacing.

They each have countless strengths, including rebounding and versatility for Washington. Gafford is a great inside scorer and shot blocker.

Washington's strong shooting didn't last long

Washington was once a deadly 3-point marksman as a Maverick, and this was especially true during the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mavs fans thought they had found their bona fide third star alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving after the way he dismantled the No. 1 seed in the West.

He shot 46.9 percent from three on 8.2 attempts per game in that series and followed it by shooting 38.1 percent from downtown in the ensuing full season (2024-25). These were positive signs of what was to come, but the 2025-26 season was the second-worst shooting season of his career when they needed him to be consistent the most.

Nico Harrison put them in this predicament

Dallas' roster was entirely built around their big man trio of Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Anthony Davis. Nico Harrison expected the team to dominate with their size and interior presence, therefore sacrificing outside shooting and shot creation. Harrison's controversial strategy required players like Washington to play above their pay grade when it came to shooting, and the 6-foot-7 Washington came up short.

He shot 32.5 percent from long range on 4.2 attempts per game during Flagg's rookie year. This is nowhere near good enough, especially if he wants to be a long-term fit with Flagg on the wing. To make matters worse, Washington is currently dealing with an elbow sprain that he suffered on April 5. He predicted that this would keep him out for six weeks during his exit interview on April 12.

Gafford doesn't even shoot threes.

He has attempted just one 3-pointer in his entire career, and he does all of his damage from inside the paint. Gafford is an extremely strong paint scorer, but given the Mavs' need for more shooting and reliability, they may elect to move on.

Masai Ujiri could cook up a trade to get Flagg some help

He and Washington have some of the most trade value on the team, as each player begins a team-friendly extension at the start of the 2026-27 season. Gafford signed a three-year deal last summer while Washington signed a four-year deal, and Dallas can leverage their lengthy contracts and solid production to target more shooting on the wing and in the backcourt.

Masai Ujiri has already said that he wants to add more shooters around Flagg as the team's new president, and this could come at the cost of Washington or Gafford. Flagg's maniacal work ethic is going to turn him into a positive shooter one day, but with that being his flaw right now, Ujiri and company have to make some trades. Washington and Gafford are among the team's top trade candidates, given their contracts and on-court impact.

Giving up either of those players would shift the team's character significantly, but they must treat shooting as a premium and get Flagg the spacing around him he needs. He can't dominate the paint like he likes to do without more shooting around him, and some trades may be the best way to balance the roster.

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