Cooper Flagg brings Mavericks what they've craved since the Luka Doncic trade

On February 1, Dallas Mavericks history changed forever as Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. No one expected Doncic to ever be traded by the Mavericks, and neither did he, as he wanted to win multiple championships with Dallas and follow in the footsteps of Dirk Nowitzki by staying loyal to one franchise. Doncic was so upset by the move that he cried and threw his phone across the room when he heard the news on that Saturday night, and Mavs fans shared this same frustration.

Now, with Cooper Flagg joining the team, he will bring the excitement back to a fan base that desperately needs it. From the time that Doncic was traded until right before the Mavs won the NBA Draft Lottery in May, all of the excitement was sucked out of the city, but Flagg has the chance to reenergize the fan base heading into a pivotal 2025-26 season.

This is a big task for a rookie, but he already has the perfect mindset to become a fan favorite immediately. Flagg just wants to win while playing the right way within his role, and Mavs fans have welcomed him with open arms so far.

Cooper Flagg will bring excitement back to Mavericks basketball

The excitement from the fans regarding Flagg joining the Mavs has been extremely high recently, as the team even hosted a draft party at the American Airlines Center on draft night. Fans erupted with cheers as soon as Adam Silver announced that Dallas would be selecting Flagg, and they all rushed to The Hangar (the Mavs' gift shop at the arena) to purchase a Flagg No. 32 jersey. Hundreds of people lined up to get a chance to purchase a Flagg Mavericks jersey, and he will have the chance to show Mavs fans what he can do on the court this week.

Flagg will make his Mavs debut in just a few days as Dallas battles the Los Angeles Lakers at Summer League in Las Vegas on Thursday evening, and fans have had this game circled on their calendars ever since the Summer League schedule dropped.

The Mavs winning the Draft Lottery was truly the only way to bring fans back, as most of the fan base was heartbroken that Doncic was traded to the Lakers less than a year after he led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. The heartbreak from the Doncic trade still remains deep down in many fans' hearts, considering everything that he gave the city, but that heartbreak could quickly disappear once Mavs fans see Flagg step onto the floor.

Of course, expectations must be realistic, as Flagg isn't Doncic and they don't need him to be.

This isn't to say that Flagg should replicate Doncic's production right away, as they are extremely different players, but the same excitement from fans that surrounded Doncic ahead of his rookie season is now surrounding Flagg.

From New Balance proclaiming June 25 (the day of the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft) as "Flagg Day" to all of the Flagg social media content that has flooded everyone's feeds over the last few weeks, fans can't wait to see Flagg play for the first time, and his playstyle will wow fans right away.

The Mavs will be trading Doncic's step-back threes, no-look passes, and offensive mastery for Flagg's chase-down blocks, posterizing slams, and freak athleticism, and him being a monster out of the gate will hook Mavs fans immediately.