Even Cooper Flagg can't fix the Mavericks' biggest roster problem

The Dallas Mavericks snapped their eight-game losing streak with a 120–112 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday.

While the victory may frustrate fans focused on draft positioning, it was still a welcome sight to see veterans like Daniel Gafford and Khris Middleton step up and show their value during a transitional season.

A win that raises more questions than answers

Even though several veteran performances stood out, it was still a meaningless win at the end of the day — one that muddies the waters rather than offering a clearer vision of what’s to come.

This mid-March victory over a fellow lottery team, the Grizzlies, is merely a microcosm of the bigger issue facing the Dallas Mavericks. Even with Cooper Flagg in tow, Dallas still has a long way to go before it can compete consistently.

The Mavericks have their centerpiece, but beyond him, it’s difficult to view anyone else on the roster as a long-term keeper. Sure, Middleton poured in a season-high 35 points against the Memphis Grizzlies and has played well since arriving in Dallas. But that season-high is only one point higher than his age. Does Middleton truly add value moving forward? It may sound like a foolish question to ask immediately after a 35-point outing, but it’s a fair one.

On the flip side, how concerning is it that Dallas needed 35 points from Middleton to defeat Memphis, who trotted out a starting lineup composed almost entirely of former second-round picks?

It’s at least somewhat concerning that the Mavericks needed to lean so heavily on Middleton just to defeat the Grizzlies, especially when the win dropped Dallas from sixth to seventh in the lottery order. But that’s beside the point.

Looking back at Dallas’ performance, Gafford also turned in a strong outing with a season-high 22 points and 14 rebounds. Again, that’s great, but what does it mean going forward? Gafford was a widely discussed trade candidate ahead of the deadline, only to ultimately be retained. Is his recent string of impressive performances strengthening his trade value, or does Dallas envision him as the long-term option at center as it builds around Flagg?

Roster misfit in the post-Luka Doncic era

Although only two have been mentioned, there are plenty more questions surrounding this roster. A 22–44 record should make that obvious, but Dallas is in a different position than most lottery teams.

The Mavericks are transitioning from Luka Doncic to Flagg, and much of the current roster was built to complement Doncic. Players like Gafford and P.J. Washington were specifically acquired with Doncic in mind. But with Flagg (an entirely different type of player), Dallas’ roster now looks more like a mishmash than a cohesive fit.

Until that roster is reshaped around Flagg’s strengths, the Mavericks remain far from their ultimate goal of truly competing.