NBA Insider Drops Bold Mavericks Cooper Flagg Comparison To Lakers Luka Doncic

A massive take by this NBA insider will fire up Dallas Mavericks' fans.

Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) smiles after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks made another decision to move on from the disastrous Luka Doncic trade on Wednesday when they sent out Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in what was essentially a salary dump. All things considered, it was probably more than the Mavericks expected to get back for Davis, but it's still brutal in the context of the Doncic deal.

That trade should've killed the Mavericks and their future. However, the basketball gods gave them a blessing by helping them land the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and they took Cooper Flagg with that pick. He's been WAY better than expected right out the gate. And that Brian Windhorst singing praises that he could be better than Luka Doncic one day.

"It's actually jaw-dropping that you could take a generational talent like Luka Doncic and do these transactions. Yet, the Mavericks have one of the brightest futures in the league because of Cooper Flagg. I can't see into the future, but it's very possible Cooper Flagg could end up being a better player and a better franchise leader than Luka Doncic," Windhorst said on Get Up on Thursday morning.

"Maybe Luka will win multiple championships in LA, but that would not be true. Cooper Flagg is as exciting a young player we've seen in this league in 25 years. What he can do at both ends of the court elevates his entire team; it's extraordinarily exciting. Salary dumping Anthony Davis is the correct move for building around this young player."

“Cooper Flagg could end up being a better player and a better franchise leader than Luka Dončić.” 😳

- @WindhorstESPN

(🎥 @GetUpESPN )

pic.twitter.com/Pk6nPigT0N

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 5, 2026

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Cooper Flagg is Special, But Let's Pump The Brakes

Cooper Flagg has had an incredible rookie season. He's currently averaging 20.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, and 4.1 APG. The only rookies to average 20, 6, and 4 are an impressive list across NBA history: Elgin Baylor, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sidney Wicks, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic. Flagg is on pace to join that list.

But Doncic led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals in his fourth season, then the NBA Finals in his sixth. Had he still been in Dallas, they had a contender that fit his skills perfectly. Take him out of that equation, and it's a mess of a roster.

Flagg is an extremely gifted player, and pairing him with another young lottery pick is something the Mavs weren't able to do with Doncic since they quickly figured out Dennis Smith Jr. wasn't going to live up to his potential. This is a rare opportunity for the Mavs.

READ MORE: Time Has Told Nico Harrison What Mavericks Fans Knew All Along

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