Unexpected Cade Cunningham move has Mavericks fans dreaming big

Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham purchased a minority stake in the Texas Rangers earlier this week, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, and this has Dallas Mavericks fans dreaming of him joining the team one day. Cunningham is a Dallas-Fort Worth native, as he was born and raised in Arlington, attended Arlington Bowie High School for his freshman and sophomore years, and played for the Texas Titans of the EYBL.

His Dallas ties run deep, and him purchasing part of his hometown MLB team shows exactly how he feels about the city. He clearly loves Dallas, and Mavericks fans are about to take this and run with it.

The Dallas basketball community is one big family, and with Cunningham growing up a huge Mavericks fan and Dirk Nowitzki fan, it would make sense for him to at least consider Dallas if he hits unrestricted free agency in 2030. The Mavericks may also have Nowitzki working for the team in some capacity by then, and they could be one of the most dominant teams in the Western Conference.

Cunningham's DFW roots make a Mavs pairing impossible to ignore

Cunningham and the Pistons are currently the No. 1 team in the NBA with a 40-13 record, and Cunningham has four more years after this season on his five-year rookie extension. Despite this, the Mavericks could be in a position to sign him in the summer of 2031 if he hits free agency.

He would be one of the hottest free agents in recent memory, and if he's looking to get out of Detroit by that point, Dallas would be the perfect fit. Cunningham would get to come play for his hometown team, team up with Cooper Flagg after his fifth season in the league, and get a fresh start if that's what he's looking for.

It would be the story for the ages, and he would be the perfect player to pair with Flagg.

After the 2029-30 season, Cunningham will be 28 years old while Flagg will be 23, and they'd have the chance to form one of the most unstoppable duos in the NBA. Both players will likely have been competing for titles on their respective teams by that point, and if Flagg doesn't have a co-star by then, there wouldn't be a better player to chase than Cunningham.

He is one of the best point guards in the entire NBA, plays both ends, and would give the Mavericks one of the best one-two punches in the league. This season for Detroit, Cunningham is averaging 25.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and a career-high 1.5 steals per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field.

This is the exact type of duo that the Mavericks should want to build around for the future, and this pipe dream could quickly turn real if Cunningham's time in Detroit goes south. They're the best team in the Eastern Conference now, but if that changes, his ties to DFW could propel the Mavericks to the top of his wish list if he looks to play elsewhere.