When the Dallas Mavericks shocked the league by trading away franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, most people assumed the team had just destroyed its future. Fans were furious, analysts questioned the front office, and it felt impossible to imagine anyone filling the massive void Doncic left behind.
But after the way one young player has performed this season, there is suddenly a very different feeling around Dallas. In fact, one NBA analyst went as far as calling him a “gift from God” for the Mavericks, giving the team real hope that life after Luka may not be as bleak as everyone first thought.
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In a recent interview when asked who has a better chance of winning, Doncic with the Lakers or Flagg with the Mavs, ESPN analyst Tim MacMahon said, “What a gift the Mavericks got from the basketball gods of a second chance to build around a prodigy. But there is a lot of work to be done. This lottery is going to be so critical to the Mavericks.”
Cooper Flagg to Rescue the Mavs From a Disaster Trade?
Flagg is starting to change the entire conversation around the Dallas Mavericks. Ever since Dallas traded away Luka Doncic, most people have looked at the franchise like it was heading toward years of irrelevance. Now, Flagg is making that look a little less true every night.
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The rookie followed up his 51-point game with another monster showing against the Los Angeles Lakers, pouring in 45 points and looking completely in control from start to finish. He was not just getting buckets either. He was creating for teammates, crashing the glass, forcing turnovers, and doing a little bit of everything.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) celebrates during the second half against the San Antonio Spurs at the American Airlines Center.Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
(Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
At just 19 years old, Flagg is already putting together numbers that are being mentioned alongside names like Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain. That is not normal, even for elite rookies.
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The Lakers, meanwhile, were stretched thin without Luka and Austin Reaves available, even with LeBron James putting together one of his better all-around games of the season. But by the end of the night, Flagg was clearly the biggest story on the floor.
Related: New Angle Emerges of Luka Doncic’s Injury
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Apr 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.