Former Duke basketball superstar and 2025 No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg has been absolutely fantastic to begin his pro career with the Dallas Mavericks, but that isn't exactly translating to wins. After losing to the Golden State Warriors 126-116 on Christmas, the team now sits at 12-20 on the season and a measly 3-11 on the road.
Yet again, Mavericks star forward Anthony Davis left with an injury against Golden State, an ailment that's become a mainstay in Dallas, leading to growing frustration from the franchise and its fans. After being traded for Luka Dončić, in what could be the most infamous trade in the history of the NBA, Davis hasn't exactly shown he was worth that price. The 32-year-old has appeared in just 15 games this season and hardly played after he was traded to Dallas last year, as he dealt with injury then, too.
Now, some insiders are calling the Anthony Davis experiment in Dallas a bust, urging the team to move on from the former top overall draft pick. Additionally, some are calling for Flagg to be handed the keys to the franchise officially.
Charles Barkley urges Dallas Mavericks to trade Anthony Davis, hand keys to star rookie Cooper Flagg
On Inside the NBA, after Davis left the game with an injury, NBA great Charles Barkley tried to give the Mavs some insight on how to handle the situation with the aging forward.
“What are the Mavs gonna do?" Barkley said. "They in trouble now. Because it’s clear to me that Anthony Davis, as much as we like him and love him as a player, he’s never gonna be healthy."
“I think I might move on . . . If I was running the team I’d say, ‘You know what? It’s Cooper’s team now.’”
Charles Barkley on ESPN: “What are the Mavs gonna do? They in trouble now. Because it’s clear to me that Anthony Davis, as much as we like him and love him as a player, he’s never gonna be healthy.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) December 25, 2025
“They gotta make a decision.”
Kenny: “What would you do?”
Chuck: “I think I…
It's no secret that Davis isn't getting any younger, and his continued inability to play due to injury has become a growing concern. The Mavericks came into this season expecting to be in contention for a deep playoff run, but almost halfway through the regular season, the Play-In Tournament isn't even an option right now.
Flagg went for a game-high 27 points and five assists on Christmas against the Warriors, and is now averaging 19.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.2 steals a night on 48.7% shooting from the field as a rookie.
If the Mavericks are going to compete this year, decisions need to be made, and Barkley may have a point.