The Dallas Mavericks are heading into a new phase, and the plan is pretty clear: build around Cooper Flagg.
With training camp set to begin this weekend, Dallas has already spent the summer reshaping the roster, front office, and coaching staff after the end of the 2025-26 season. The message from the organization is straightforward. Flagg is the centerpiece, and everything else is being arranged around him as he moves into his second NBA season.
That vision was laid out earlier this week by NBA insider and former front office executive Amin Elhassan during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio. Elhassan said the Mavericks are putting together a structure designed to help Flagg develop, while also leaving room to keep adding pieces.
“You can see what Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz are building, which is like, 'ok, let's get some guys who can surround Cooper Flagg, grow with him, and help him be successful.' That means we've got other guys who aren't bad players that have good contracts, but can help other teams, and with that we can continue to collect assets and continue to build this thing out,” Elhassan said.
That could also mean Dallas explores the market for veterans who may not fit the long-term timeline, including P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, and Caleb Martin. All three have multiple seasons left on their contracts, which makes them potentially appealing to a playoff team looking for help near the trade deadline.
Elhassan also thinks the Mavericks may still be a step away from being a team people are talking about in the playoff picture.
“I think Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks are probably like a year away from us starting to actually pay attention to them,” Elhassan said.
Elhassan, who has also worked for the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, and Phoenix Suns, spent 2007-12 in Phoenix and served as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations in his final two seasons there. In 2010, that Suns team reached the Western Conference Finals with Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire, Grant Hill, Jason Richardson, Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Robin Lopez, Goran Dragić, and Leandro Barbosa.
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Cooper Flagg Mania Is Already Reaching Another Level In Dallas
Cooper Flaggs arrival in Dallas is already spilling far beyond the court, with his one-of-one Topps Rookie Debut Patch Autograph card drawing jaw-dropping attention before he has even settled into an NBA routine. The card, which features a patch from the jersey he wore in his debut, sold for $8.04 million in Fanatics Collects September Premier Auction and set five records, including the highest price ever for a basketball card featuring a single player and for a Mavericks card.
It was graded Gem Mint 10 by PSA and became the latest symbol of how quickly Flagg has turned into a national obsession. The sale also topped every previous Rookie Debut Patch card price, a reminder that the hype around Dallas newest centerpiece is now extending well beyond ticket sales and into the high-end collectibles world. [Read more 🡒]
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What makes the situation worth watching is that Powell arrives in camp without a contract slot currently attached to him, a reminder that Dallas is carrying more than just basketball decisions into October. The Mavs know what Powell has meant to the organization over the years, and his presence gives them another experienced veteran in the room, but it also leaves a real roster question hanging over how the team wants to handle the last part of its build. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Puts A New Mavericks Reality Into Focus
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For Dallas, the timing matters because Irvings return restores one of the leagues most skilled guards to a roster that has been waiting a long time to see what this version of the team can become. Irving has said he is prepared to contribute as a player and as a leader, and the Mavericks will now have to sort out how quickly he can slide back into rhythm while the seasons bigger questions keep moving around him. The health part is only the start - what comes next is how the team adapts to having him back in the picture. [Read more 🡒]