Cooper Flagg isn’t the only reason Mavericks fans should be excited about the future

Cooper Flagg is in the middle of an incredible rookie season for the Dallas Mavericks, but there is plenty more to be excited about in Big D outside of the 19-year-old phenom.

While the Mavericks' season hasn't gone according to plan thus far, Flagg has clearly proven that he is the best rookie in the NBA. Kon Knueppel, Flagg's teammate at Duke, is putting up a valiant fight, but Flagg is the most impactful rookie in the NBA by a long shot. He is averaging 18.8 points, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 47.8 percent from the field, and his ceiling is being one of the best players in the league, and potentially ever.

On top of Flagg's undeniable potential, trade season is bound to bring some new faces to Dallas. Fans always get excited about trades, and Dallas always seems to be active ahead of the trade deadline.

Dallas' future is built upon far more than just Cooper Flagg

The deadline is just over two weeks away, and with the Mavs shopping Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Daniel Gafford, they should at least be able to acquire some young prospects, expiring contracts to create future flexibility, and draft picks.

The Mavs' draft assets are limited for the time being, as their 2026 first-round pick is their only first-round pick of their own that they fully control until 2031. Dallas' front office was ultra-aggressive when it came to trading draft picks to build around Luka Doncic, unfortunately leaving them with limited assets to build around Flagg.

The Mavs are left with little of their own draft picks moving forward, but they have a chance to draft Flagg's co-star in about five months since they own their pick. The dream would be for Dallas to jump into the top three to select AJ Bybantsa, Darryn Peterson, or Cam Boozer, but there are plenty of other talented players who will go early in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.

The Mavericks obviously need guard help, and this year's draft class happens to be loaded in that area. FanSided's Christopher Kline outlined how talented this year's group is with his 2026 NBA Draft Big Board that dropped this week, and Dallas should have plenty of guards to choose from when Adam Silver announces that they're on the clock.

The Mavericks currently have the eighth-worst record in the NBA, and assuming they don't turn their season around, they'll likely be picking in the 7-10 range unless the basketball gods bless them and they jump into the top four again.

Players like Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Mikel Brown Jr. would be dream additions for Dallas given their backcourt decencies, and Kline ranked each of them at No. 16, 5, and 7, respectively. The Mavs need a running mate for Flagg to kick off the new era with style, and fans should be ecstatic about the potential to draft a young star in this summer's draft.

Flagg, their 2026 first-round pick, Ryan Nembhard, Dereck Lively II, and Max Christie form a strong young core for Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley to build around, and the upside of this group is undeniable. Christie has been one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA all season long, as he's shooting a career-high 45.9 percent from long range.

His recent performances should make Riccardi and Finley consider making him untouchable in trade talks, and he will be one of the Mavs' top assets moving forward.

Dallas may not be the NBA Finals-bound team that Nico Harrison once envisioned when he swapped Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, but the addition of Cooper Flagg has saved this age of Mavs basketball as we know it. He has truly changed everything in Dallas, and his presence, combined with the Mavs' upcoming draft pick, potential trades, and growth of the young players, should have fans extremely excited for the future.