The Dallas Mavericks are tanking their way to a top pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, and one former player and NBA champion is left wondering why Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving are still on the roster.
Despite winning their last two games in a row, the Dallas Mavericks' season has long been over. One could argue that it was over before it began, and Anthony Davis' hand injury was just the last nail in the coffin.
With Cooper Flagg and the out-for-the-season Dereck Lively II, the Mavericks have the markings of one of the best young cores in the entire NBA. However, with veterans eating up salary and minutes, the Mavericks are so far unable (or unwilling) to embrace a complete rebuild.
Fans have been clamoring for the Mavericks to trade Davis ever since he injured himself in his Dallas debut, and now Irving, who is yet to suit up this season, is also on the hot seat.
Kendrick Perkins Asks: If Not Now, When?
Davis is out for several months with a hand injury. Irving's timeline to return keeps getting pushed back. Neither of these players will bring back a blockbuster trade return before the February deadline, but if the Mavericks keep sitting on their hands, they could continue to delay going all-in on Flagg.
"What are you holding on for?" asked Kendrick Perkins. "You got a generational player. You got your guy. I'm not just considering trading Anthony Davis, I'm trading a 33-year-old Kyrie Irving, too. If you're talking about rebuilding, then rebuild."
Some fans are attached to Irving because of his brotherhood with Luka Doncic, but those days are long gone. The Mavericks need to turn around and invest in their young star, and the best way to do that is to acquire as much draft capital as possible.
The Mavericks own their 2026 pick, but after that, every first-round pick is either a swap or incoming from a different team. If the Mavericks are to take control, 2026 is really their only chance.
"We want to add those young pieces to grow with Flaggg," Perkins added. "Kyrie Irving is 33 years old. I'm trading both him and Anthony Davis. And I'm going to get me some draft picks, some pieces, and in the draft, I'll add some pieces around Cooper Flagg. I'm looking forward to next year."
The Mavereicks are 12th in the West, are two games back from even making the play-in spot, and currently hold the eighth-best odds in the NBA Draft Lottery. In order to give Flagg as long a runway as possible, Perkins is right.
The Mavericks must flip their "win now" players (who aren't doing a lot of winning), make sure they swing big in the 2026 draft, and cement their young core. Anyone over 30 years old has got to go, even if fans have a soft spot for him.