Mavericks are chasing the Anthony Davis trade that Cooper Flagg desperately needs

The trade rumors surrounding the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks' interest in Anthony Davis have been brewing for weeks, and Dallas is eyeing one of Atlanta's assets that would determine if Cooper Flagg will get the help he needs to lead the Mavs to an NBA Finals win one day.

Atlanta owns the New Orleans Pelicans' unprotected first-round pick in this summer's draft, and according to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Mavericks are trying to get ahold of that pick if they do indeed trade Davis to the Hawks. It's not going to be easy, but this is the type of move that would help jumpstart the Flagg era in a way that fans could only dream of.

The Mavericks own their own pick in next summer's draft as well, and having two chances at winning the NBA Draft Lottery is something that Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley should be all over. Dallas seems like they aren't interested in hiring a new general manager to replace Nico Harrison until after the season, giving Riccardi and Finley the chance to make the perfect blockbuster trade to set up Flagg and the Mavericks for the future.

Atlanta owns the trade asset that Dallas craves

"I can tell you with certainty that the Mavericks have been trying to pry away that New Orleans Pelicans pick away from the Hawks for some time now," Mannix said. "That has been on the mind of the Mavericks' front office for some time now."

Atlanta hasn't shown any interest in moving on from this highly valuable pick, but if Dallas can somehow net that pick in an Anthony Davis trade, they're going to be set for years to come. The Mavericks have been open to trading Davis ever since they fired Harrison, and New Orleans' pick should be at the top of their wish list.

The Mavericks have been linked to 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher over the last few weeks as well, but this draft pick that was once owned by New Orleans is far more valuable. It would be a major gamble considering how uncertain the draft lottery system is, but hitting on this bet would make it all worth it.

The Pelicans currently have the second-best odds in the NBA to land the No. 1 overall pick, and the Mavericks would be able to couple an elite young co-star with Flagg through the 2026 NBA Draft if they added this asset to their cupboard.

Flagg has quickly proven that he is one of the best young players in the NBA, but he can't win a title by himself. Drafting another young star to pair with your franchise cornerstone has worked wonders for teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas should follow this blueprint by pursuing this pick that Atlanta owns as hard as they can.

Assuming the Pelicans' pick lands somewhere in the top five, players like AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, and Caleb Wilson will potentially be on the table for the Mavericks to target. Dallas is all-in on building around Flagg, and drafting one of these players would give Dallas one of the best young duos in the NBA.

The Mavericks have players like Max Christie, Dereck Lively II, and Ryan Nembhard in their young core alongside Flagg, but none of these players have future superstar potential. Having multiple stars on your team is essential when pushing for a title in today's NBA, and guys like Dybantsa and Peterson would provide them with exactly that.

The Mavericks would enter next season with two of the most potential-packed young players in the NBA with Flagg and whoever they draft, along with whoever they use their own pick on. Trading Davis for a package that includes this Pelicans pick is the exact route that will set the Mavericks up for success down the road, and the next few weeks should determine if this pipe dream is even attainable.