Pairing a former Finals MVP with sensation Cooper Flagg could ignite a Western Conference powerhouse, transforming Dallas’ youth movement into an immediate playoff-ready team.
The Dallas Mavericks are now building around new franchise cornerstone Cooper Flagg, and they could very well add another superstar to put the team on a fast track to contention.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes, he ranks who believes should be every team's top three targets this offseason. For the Mavericks, he thinks the number one player they should target is Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown in blockbuster trade.
"If Brown is going to be dealt, the Mavs would be remiss in not taking a crack at him," Hughes writes. "Though adding a pricey vet would cut against Dallas' youth-driven reorientation around Cooper Flagg and former Michigan head coach Dusty May, the potential of Flagg, Brown and Kyrie Irving together is hard to dismiss."
It's the type of blockbuster swing that could immediately change the outlook of the Western Conference.
The Mavericks are building around Cooper Flagg, who is expected to become the face of the franchise for years to come. While Dallas has emphasized youth after selecting Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth overall pick, adding an established superstar like Brown would accelerate the team's timeline in a major way.
Acquiring Brown would come at a steep cost, but opportunities to land a player of Brown's caliber rarely come around. That makes him a target worth aggressively pursuing if the Celtics seriously entertain offers.
Brown remains one of the NBA's premier two-way wings. His ability to score at all three levels while defending multiple positions would fit seamlessly alongside Flagg, giving Dallas one of the league's most versatile forward duos. Brown has also proven he can thrive under playoff pressure, bringing championship experience that would be invaluable for a young Mavericks roster.
Not to mention that he was the Finals MVP when the Celtics won the championship back in 2024.
Of course, pulling off such a trade would be far easier said than done. Boston would likely demand a significant package of young players, draft capital and matching salaries. The Mavericks would have to determine whether sacrificing pieces of their future is worth pairing Flagg with an established All-NBA talent in the prime of his career.
Whether a deal ultimately materializes remains to be seen, but the logic is easy to understand. The Mavericks have their franchise cornerstone in Flagg, but adding Brown could transform them from an intriguing young team into a legitimate championship contender much sooner than expected.
