Mavericks' Cooper Flagg is Already Getting Tired of Losing

The Mavericks are now 19-32, and they won't play at home for another three weeks. They also just traded away Anthony Davis on Wednesday to the Washington Wizards, a move that came as a little bit of a surprise. While he hardly played with the Mavericks due to injury, he helped the team win a little bit more when he was in the lineup. He was already expected to be out for at least most of February, and the team may have pushed for him to sit out even once he was close to returning, because this team isn't going anywhere.

Losing With Cooper Flagg is a Slippery Slope

Cooper Flagg has made it very clear that he does not want to lose. He is all about winning at the end of the day. When the Mavericks were the team that came out of nowhere to win the draft lottery, reports came out that his family was relieved he'd be going to an environment that was focused on winning, surrounded by veterans like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, so the focus wouldn't be all on him.

They were worried that if he went to a team like Washington, Utah, or Charlotte, it would kill his competitive spirit. In other news, the Charlotte Hornets have won eight straight games and are 13-6 since the start of the New Year. They're currently in line to make the Play-In Tournament, and with the way they're winning, they could jump into the playoffs if they can stay healthy.

The Mavericks don't look like they have an interest in winning right now. They're competing closely in every game, and they look like they're close to winning, but 2026 is the last year they control their first-round pick until 2031. And with how good this draft class is, the best option for the future of the franchise is to get another young star to pair with Cooper Flagg for the future. As good as Kyrie Irving is, he isn't getting any younger, and Dereck Lively II can't be trusted to stay healthy. Having someone else who can grow with Flagg would be huge.