Mavericks' next 10 games will silently determine Cooper Flagg's future

The past three games have been a struggle for the Dallas Mavericks as they have dropped all three, including a Monday night loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. While sitting at a record of 12-22, the Mavericks still have plenty of the regular season left; however, with a looming Anthony Davis trade possibly in the works, the team's next 10-game schedule could be as important as ever.

Not only are the Mavericks currently in a three-game skid, but with their next 10-game slate being headlined by a majority of the Western Conference's bottom-feeding teams like the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings, a direction for the remainder of Dallas' season must be decided on.

On one hand, the Mavericks can go ahead and trade Davis in an effort to bottom out and secure more favorable lottery odds. On the other hand, the Mavericks have yet to feature a lineup with Davis, Flagg, and Kyrie Irving, which may be one of the strongest lineups the Mavericks have if they believe they can compete in the West.

Mavericks can't delay the rebuild-or-contend conversation much longer

It seems as though every game the Mavericks lose is one step closer to the team pulling the trigger on a trade to focus on the future of Flagg at the helm, but the Mavericks' true cards may be exposed if they get off to a slow start during this next 10-game schedule.

Every game this season has become increasingly important for a Mavericks team needing to decide on the path to take for the future.

On one side of the coin, the Mavericks have a perfect opportunity to wait for Kyrie Irving to return to full health and find a good rhythm to head into next season with, and on the other side, the Mavericks could fully commit to building around Flagg with the draft pick they have in this year's draft and possible other draft assets they could acquire in an Anthony Davis trade.

Flagg needs a young co-star, and if the Mavericks drop a bunch of games during this stretch, their direction could be decided for them. Despite the optimism from fans that Dallas could morph into a playoff team, losing may be in the team's best interest if they want to put Flagg in a position to succeed.

While there are many fans in favor of both directions, there is no denying that Dallas' next 10 games are extremely important for the future of the franchise.

Over the next 10 games, the Mavericks will play the Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, and the Utah Jazz three times. This should not only be a more than favorable schedule for a team that believes it can turn its season around, but the Mavericks may be right around the corner on a decision that could determine the fate of the franchise and Flagg's future.

Utah, Sacramento, and Brooklyn are all teams that will be racing to the bottom of the standings by the end of the season, and losses here could be extremely beneficial for those who believe Dallas should tank.

With the Atlanta Hawks being one of the teams that are interested in Davis, the Mavericks may be forced to decide if they believe Atlanta hosts the best package, which may include an untimely reunion with Kristaps Porzingis and giving former No.1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher a fresh start.

With Dallas' current struggles, it may be more important than ever that the Mavericks pick a path when it comes to the future of Cooper Flagg, and while the next 10 games look favorable for the team, it may take less time to decide if the Mavericks believe they can win.