Mavericks are ignoring the perfect Anthony Davis trade to jumpstart Cooper Flagg era

Next season, the Dallas Mavericks are entering perhaps their most critical year in franchise history as they not only welcome the future with Cooper Flagg but also continue to try and win now with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis on their roster. While the Mavericks are still fully invested in the moment as the team and fans believe they can win one or more playoff series, assuming Irving returns healthy, it's hard not to notice that the Mavs could easily avoid a future headache and focus on the future as soon as possible.

Not only do the Mavericks have multiple players who could make a team into one contending for a title, but with Davis on Dallas' roster, it gives them an easy out if they want to focus on a rebuild. Flagg is just 18 years old, so the Mavs have plenty of time before they need to think about fully rebuilding around him. However, the players around him are only going to get older, so it may be necessary to shift the focus if the Mavs believe in Flagg and bet on his future.

While Flagg still has many haters and non-believers, the Mavs appear to be fully on board with the former Duke star, and only time will tell if the Mavs are fully willing to rebuild around Flagg and make him the face of the franchise.

Mavericks should explore trading Anthony Davis now

Although it might be too soon to say, the reality of Davis' career in Dallas will be remembered by being traded for Luka Doncic and only spending the back half of his prime in a Mavs uniform. Davis can, without a doubt, still impact the game as a top 15 player in the league, but if injuries persist, the Mavericks should take it as a message.

Throughout his 13-year career, Davis has struggled with injuries, and while that might seem like a major concern, this may be the only opportunity the Mavs have by trading him for serious value. Fans shouldn't expect Davis to be traded this summer, but if the Mavs get off to a slow start and the playoffs are out of the picture, it may be the only time Nico Harrison needs to swallow his pride and get rid of his prized possession.

Not only would Davis net the Mavericks a potential horde of good role players and maybe even a young emerging talent to put alongside Flagg, but it's safe to assume the Mavs could also get a load of future first-round picks, which may be the most valuable assets.

Giving Flagg the future tools to not only be great now but be one of the best players for years to come is a gift the Mavericks failed to do with Doncic. Loading up on draft assets and young players to pair alongside Flagg may sound like a swing to some fans, but it has become a proven formula by some of the league's best teams.

Trading Davis may not be what's best for ticket sales and playoff appearances for the Mavericks, but they could easily secure Flagg's future in Dallas, which is something that the media and fans are already doubting.

Davis would not only give the Mavericks multiple players but also potentially three to four first-round picks, which would be the perfect return.

The Mavericks could also be avoiding a future headache by trading Davis now, as he is set to have a player option in the 2027-28 NBA season. By trading Davis now or within the next year, the Mavs would not only be avoiding a potential return of nothing for Davis if he decided to become a free agent, but the team would also dodge contract negotiations.