Mavericks Reportedly Establish Two Role Players They’d Like To Keep Alongside Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks have made it no secret that their new blueprint as a franchise is to build around rookie phenom Cooper Flagg.

The 19-year-old Flagg has been everything he was advertised as and more this season, averaging 18.8 points and 6.4 rebounds per game through the first 43 NBA games of his career. Dallas knows that it has a budding superstar on its hands.

The Mavs have reportedly been open to moving Anthony Davis as they peer ahead into the future. Kyrie Irving is a guy that Dallas’ front office reportedly would like to keep around Flagg moving forward. As are role players Naji Marshall and Max Christie, according to a new report from NBA insider Marc Stein (subscription required).

“Naji Marshall and Max Christie have emerged as prized members of Dallas’ post Luka Dončić-core alongside Rookie of the Year favorite Cooper Flagg,” Stein wrote on Sunday.

“I’m told that the Mavericks, as a result, have established high trade thresholds for both. (Flagg, obviously, is an untouchable.) … When it comes to Marshall — who is in Year 2 of a rather attractive three-year, $27 million pact — Dallas is said to be unwilling to listen to any trade approaches that don’t feature a future first-round pick.”

“And when it comes to Christie, Dallas is mostly focused on the 22-year-old earning an invite to the league’s annual 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend given his 45.5% conversion rate on nearly six 3s per game,” Stein added.