Mavericks Rebuild Around Cooper Flagg — Trade Davis, Irving

Merlin sees Dallas leaning toward a teardown: an Eastern Conference exec told ESPN the Mavs should "absolutely" look to deal both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving before the Feb. 5 deadline. At 3–9, last in points per game and 29th in offensive rating, Dallas lacks draft capital and must pivot to developing rookie Cooper Flagg. Davis (32) and Irving (33) carry huge, injury-tinged contracts that clash with a long-term rebuild timetable. Merlin notes the nuance: the duo has barely played together (one game) and Irving is still rehabbing, so keeping them isn’t indefensible. Still, with only a 2026 first-rounder until 2031 and pricey player options looming, the Mavericks should prioritize future assets and young pieces over short-term star fits as they reset around Flagg.