Mavericks risk ruining the Cooper Flagg era unless they embrace controversial lesson

In the NBA, tanking and forcing losses are an unfortunate reality for teams that feel like their roster can't compete with some of the top names in the league. No matter how controversial tanking is, the method has proven it works, and for the 2022-23 Dallas Mavericks, they found a valuable lesson that losing games can get you to contending status, which is something the Mavs need to remember again before it's too late.

Dallas tanked at the end of that season in an effort to keep their top-10 protected pick, and it ended up paying off as they kept their draft selection. The Mavericks landed Dereck Lively II in this draft, and without tanking, they would've been forced to give up their pick.

With the Anthony Davis injury no longer looking as severe as it once did, and him possibly only missing a month and a half now, Davis' trade market may be as good as it will ever be before the February 5 trade deadline. Not only is this important for the Mavericks, but it also gives them another opportunity to trade Davis while remaining a subpar team and potentially improving their draft odds in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Tanking is the Mavericks' only realistic path forward

At the end of the day, the Mavericks' main focus should be pairing Flagg with a young star whom they can acquire in this summer's draft. It would likely cost the team all of their dignity to win this season, which may upset fans, but losing is already a formula that has worked for the Mavericks and will likely work again in their favor.

It's undeniable how good owning a top-level draft pick can be for a franchise looking to add youth and star power to a bleak future. Looking around the league, there are already a number of teams that have hit on draft picks by drafting a star and then pairing him with a co-star by once again hitting on a top draft pick, which is a formula the Mavericks must follow with Flagg.

Following a Wednesday night loss to the Denver Nuggets, where the team got rattled without Davis, it's clear this season is already over, and no matter how early it still is into the season, losing games is unfortunately Dallas' best hope to winning games in the future. Pairing Flagg with a potential top-seven pick in this coming draft would be a dream come true for multiple reasons, and it may be a painful process, but fans will quickly forgive the team once wins start coming their way.

Even if the Mavericks can't trade away Davis for draft picks, it will still be important that the Mavs shut down Kyrie Irving for the remainder of the season to avoid any future catastrophe. A theoretical trio of Irving, Flagg, and whoever the Mavericks draft in the summer could be a fun young team to cheer on, and that's only if the Mavericks trade away Davis.

Not to mention, the Mavericks also have other names who could garner some attention on the trade market in Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson, and Daniel Gafford, which, done right, the Mavericks may even get more future draft compensation.

41 games into the season, the Mavericks are already sitting in a controversial spot where losing games and trading veteran players may be the team's only option to compete for championships in the future.