Was trading Anthony Davis the right decision for the Dallas Mavericks?! | Howdy Partners
Today on Howdy Partners, Tim MacMahon & Michael C. Wright take a look at the NBA through a Lone Star lens as they discuss what happened during the NBA Trade Deadline with the Dallas Mavericks trading away Anthony Davis, what that means for the franchise, Cooper Flagg’s future, in conversations with NBA greats and more!
0:00 Welcome to Howdy Partners!
1:00 The Trade Deadline
1:20 The Dallas Mavericks’ Trade Deadline decisions: Anthony Davis trade
2:00 Reflecting on the WORST TRADE in NBA history
3:30 What will the Mavericks do now?
8:05 How is the trade being received by the Mavs fan base?
9:45 Brian Windhorst’s comments about Cooper Flagg
10:27 Will Cooper Flagg be better than Luka Doncic?!
13:20 Jason Kidd’s comments
16:26 Cooper Flagg’s performance
17:35 What could Kyrie Irving do for the Dallas Mavericks?
18:55 Would the Mavericks TRADE Kyrie Irving?
19:49 More on Cooper Flagg
25:40 Can you compare Cooper Flagg to Larry Bird & Dirk Nowitzki?!
27:15 What will the Mavericks roster look like in 10 years?
29:00 Comparing the Dallas Mavericks to the San Antonio Spurs
33:05 The 2026 NBA draft: Who might Cooper Flagg play with?
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39 Comments
So many pods and I'm here for it
No, even if he plays all next season I think he was a gamble that the Mavs could not afford to lose.
🔥
Mavs got rid of All their Trash 🗑 🎉 Sad Too. AD only plays a 3rd of the games and Takes up a 3rd of the Team Salary
Windhorst is dishonest talking about anything Luka related. What is he suggesting when he's saying Luka isn't a franchise leader? Did we all forget the fans reaction to the trade…do we not see his on-court interactions with any of his former teammates he's ever played with? Where is this lack of leadership coming from? Coop is quiet as a mouse what franchise leadership skills is he presenting that Luka is lacking? Seems like Luka was beloved and will forever be missed as a Maverick. Maybe the media can do better and talk up both players since there's no drama until you manufactured it!
Look Im down on Luka as a genuine top player his defense is so terrible and is often injured through the season, offensively probably the best player in the league and the biggest moaner in the league.
I think Cooper will better than Luka and easier to build a team around as you wont need to sell out in other areas to protect any defensive liabilities for your number one player.
Mavs lucked into that Cooper pick for sure
Dallas fans never gave AD and Nico a chance to make this trade work, AD certainly didn't help it either and now he's in a basketball purgatory. This AD trade brings closure to the whole saga, and that's the most important task at hand.
Mavs fan base is so annoying still crying over Luka when you guys got cooper flag who is better than Luka
That trade never should have happened!!!
It's sole purpose was to make the Lakers relevant, not benefit the mavs. Nico would have tried to trade Cooper Flagg to the Lakers, in return for the guy that salts the popcorn, or one of the ticket takers in the booth.
Well as sad to say that in order to boost NBA ratings – Cooper being white obviously can market to All American viewers
Bagley isn’t a bad get. You can tell who actually watches games by how they break down Bagley.
Fire Nico
Mavs made the right call drafting Flagg and letting him cook but MacMahon is drinking too much Kool-Aid. Flagg will have a solid career but the Mavs need to build around a true No. 1 option. Anthony Davis should consider retiring.
Nico, the gift that keeps on giving . . . to the rest of the league!
Isn't he already the face of the mavs
Give me Flagg over Luka in the championship.
MacMahon crying over Luka is getting old.
what do you mean will ? lol he already is
Depends on who they draft in four months and nineteen days.
He needs a guy who can also be great.
Darius Acuff could be that guy.
The other guys aren’t going to be great.
The game ain’t fair. No game is.
Tldr No
How do you regret trading someone that don’t play??
15:30 Tim will never see this, but the narrative became “once they finally moved Cooper Flagg to his position” and “even though PG slowed his development” etc etc. Almost no one has given Kidd props (I think literally just Gilbert Arenas). When the funniest part is there’s still no real PG. Naji is not a PG. Coop is 86th percentile in time w/ ball in his hands.
So ya when the reporter said “you got a lot of criticism” I understand cuz ppl just read narratives. I’ve watched 90+% of Mavs games. He’s not scoring 30 on Amen & the Spurs w/o 40 games of being the primary ball handler.
…in the same breath ppl say they’re surprised by his growth & also think Kidd held him back lmao
I mean who else as a rookie was doing this? Maybe a couple people in the history of the league? The answer is yes, he's they guy. What are we doing?
Cooper x Braylon Mullins would be perfect if they get picks 6-10 but imagine AJ x Cooper
Never seen this show before, but y'all are great
Look, it’s no fault of Niko’s but I would say he mavs have a higher chance of winning a championship in the next 15 years and they did before the trade.
I never thought I’d see something in professional sports more surprising than not handing off to Marshawn Lynch, but here we are with the end result of the Luka/AD trade
Hell NO. Bye Bye Clown always hurt AD. Mavs did the best they could. Got rid of tons of Salary and little talent only. Got some decent draft choices and now have a really good core team w Flagg is a center piece of it going forward. Let’s go Mavs
Two picks first round. Mavs can trade Gafford and PJ in the offseason.
Coop d is already better than luka he can rebound as much… luka only beats him in 3s n dimes for now but seems like coop got that kobe edge in him
I think Kyrie Irving is not going to be going anywhere and I think he’s gonna retire at Maverick. I think he’s made a very very clear but he’s very dedicated to Dallas and I think the Dallas has actually made it very clear that they’re dedicated to him yes he’s coming off of a big injury and yes, it really sucks but he was offered a contract knowing that he’s coming off of that big injury. You know it’s very valuable have a guy like Kyrie running the office with Cooper Flagg with Najee, Marshall, Max Christie you got a guy that shoots 50 4090 and even if he doesn’t get 50-50 90 and it falls off a little bit that is so efficient that he has the room to be able to do that and still being an impactful player Kyrie Irving I can see him being more of a facilitator and an offensive initiator. He’s still gonna go and get buckets Kyrie is a walking bucket and I don’t think there’s an ounce in him. That’s not dying to get out there and you know take over games like he used to. He’s got it in him. He’s got a killer instinct in him and he will get that done. I think Dallas acknowledges it and sees his eagerness. Don’t want to get back and play I think at the very minimum they’re gonna wanna see it and let it happen but I don’t believe that Dallas will be trading Kyrie and I don’t believe he’s gonna ask for a trade I mean, obviously anything can happen. Kyrie bought a house he’s laying very very low in Dallas. He’s very happy and I know I know this that he’s taken taken on a big mentoring role to the younger guys on the team and I know that he’s made it very clear in this last chapter of his career he’s taking that upon himself so that is why the Dallas Mavericks value this guy they understand that Kyrie Irving is made out of a different cloth and at 34 years old in March he will still be impactful before this roster in many ways
Luka on defense is a joke
Being that Cooper is also a year younger than most of his draft class. I think it’s fair to say that Cooper still has some growth potential in him and 69 I don’t know how much he weighs but in the 200s he’s got a really long wingspan if he grows even more and he continues to progress as a offensive talent, we know the defense is already there if he progresses his offensive game, which is just you know three level score. He’s gonna be scary times you know he starts a question. He starts a question what kind of player he could become when he first started playing the first month in Dallas. I was thinking of Kawhi Leonard type player because of his defensive impact is as length and versatility. I was thinking Kawhi Leonard but you know if he keeps playing pointing guard and I’m the bonus and to create offense all the time I mean, if you could get a handle and grow a little bit Kevin Durant like that’s who he could become I know it’s saying a lot right now, but sky is the limit for Cooper Flagg he’s so young he he could become that he could become that kind of player
Something goin on with the audio. Sounds like other dude is hard hittin the vape.
Dumped Anthony Davis is wild lol
I like Bagley's motor he runs around with a wet sweaty bag
AD is always hurt and Luka is very very good. The other player part of the trade besides Christie was Cooper Flagg who is showing massive promise. lol its funny people think the Mavericks actually drafted Flagg. The powers that be worked it out so that Flagg was part of the Luka deal which honestly made it more fair. I mean come on guys you think the Dallas head office would have traded someone like Luka without getting the generational Flagg Guaranteed in the upcoming draft. The NBA was ready to move Superstar Luka to the Lakers and compensate the Mavericks with one of the most promising rookies in the past 10 years.
Cooper Flagg would be like Giannis with better handles and jump shot
Why would they regret trading someone that rarely plays? The only thing they regret is this day is trading Luka and that wouldn’t have happened if Nico was never hired in the first place