Mavericks just sent a loud message by refusing to move coveted trade chips

With the NBA's trade deadline finally wrapped up, the Dallas Mavericks rounded out their roster by making moves that may not have wowed any fans, but were necessary for the upcoming Cooper Flagg era. For starters, the team would trade away Anthony Davis for a majority of expiring contracts, a few young players, two late first-rounders, and three future second-round picks, but more importantly, the Mavericks established their core around Flagg.

By not trading either Naji Marshall or Max Christie, the Mavericks may have passed up some valuable future first-round picks that teams were likely ready to throw their way, but instead of just future value, the Mavericks stood pat in their belief in the two wings. Both Christie and Marshall bring a mentality to the court that is hard to find, and with them still having a very high ceiling, the fit alongside Flagg's future is easy to see.

“Perfectly…We really like them as players…Those guys embody what we want in the organization…They’re Dallas Mavericks players,” Matt Riccardi said during Thursday's post-trade deadline press conference in response to how Christie and Marshall might fit next to Flagg in the long term.

Mavs' decision to not trade Christie or Marshall is very telling for Flagg era

Since the opening tip of the regular season, both Marshall and Christie have been on a mission to prove their worth to the Mavericks, and they have done just that. Marshall has elevated his play to career-high numbers on top of becoming one of the Mavericks' leaders on both ends of the floor, while Christie has become one of the league's deadliest snipers from behind the 3-point line at an impressive 42.9 percent clip.

With Riccardi labeling both players as "Dallas Maverick players," it shows that the franchise is not only prepared to embrace both of them for the long term, but that they are aiming to change its image with the two wings in mind.

The Mavericks took a clear initiative to move on from Nico Harrison's past mistakes by attempting to mend all of the wrongdoings that the franchise has done to fans over the past season, and by not trading Marshall or Christie for a swing on future draft picks, it shows how highly the team wants to rebuild its image behind Flagg.

It wouldn't be crazy to assume that the Mavericks got multiple phone calls from teams across the league regarding Christie and Marshall's status on the roster as the team focuses on a new chapter. It's unclear what other teams may have been willing to expend to get either wing on their books, but it's safe to assume that Dallas would have had a better-looking slew of future picks headed their way if they had traded Christie or Marshall.

This is another reason that proves how much the Mavericks adore both Marshall and Christie and want them to be around Flagg for the foreseeable future.

Marshall was one player that teams were scrambling for in particular, and the Mavericks may have had multiple chances to trade him to rival teams. With just days before the trade deadline, however, both parties made it clear they wanted to stick together.

Adding floor spacers alongside Flagg has already become a proven formula for the Mavericks' success, but more importantly, keeping some of the league's most impactful two-way wings around your rookie phenom is going to automatically bode well for Dallas' future.