The dark cloud, which began hovering over the Dallas Mavericks when Luka Doncic was traded away, remains even though they now have some huge stars on their roster. The issue is their injury situation.
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Kyrie Irving is still sidelined with an injury, and Anthony Davis misses more time than he plays. However, the organization appears to have identified its next player to build around: Cooper Flagg. The 19-year-old sensation has been a bright spot in an otherwise lost season.
The Duke alum is being asked to do far more than originally anticipated, but it has allowed him to grow both his game and his confidence. And this has prompted Kendrick Perkins to call for a complete reset, one that does not involve the team’s legendary veterans.
Perkins is urging Dallas to make some trade moves for Flagg’s benefit. He explained that keeping Davis and Irving will only hold the franchise back, despite them being two of the game’s best performers when healthy. He does not think they provide the Big D with anything meaningful for its long-term future.
“I don’t want to see it,” stated Perkins on ESPN. “They shouldn’t want to see it. What are you holding on for? You got a generational player. You got your guy. I’m not just considering Anthony Davis. I’m trading the 33-year-old Kyrie Irving, too. If you’re talking about rebuilding, rebuild!”
“I’m not just considering trading Anthony Davis, I’m trading the 33-year-old Kyrie Irving too. If you’re talking about rebuilding, then rebuild.”@KendrickPerkins weighs in on how the Mavericks should move forward with the future of the franchise pic.twitter.com/DJPNA2AWRB
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 15, 2026
Big Perk is not wrong, but he is also not entirely right either. Dealing away Davis makes sense. He is well past his prime and, frankly, he seems to be having trouble staying healthy long enough to make a real impact for the Mavericks.
But Kyrie? Even at 33, he still has what it takes to be one of the best guards in the league. His veteran experience could be exactly what Flagg needs to develop.
Perkins disagrees. He later outlined what he would look to get in return for Irving and Davis if he were running the Mavericks’ front office.
“We want to add those young pieces to grow with. 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, draft well, add some pieces around Cooper Flagg,” said Perk.
This is where the Mavericks have to decide what kind of rebuild they are actually committing to. Half-measures are how teams get stuck. Flagg is clearly the future, but the front office has to be honest about whether keeping Kyrie would lead to development or delaying the inevitable reset.
There is real value in having a veteran star around, but only if the team has a clear direction and a timeline that makes sense. Right now, Dallas feels caught between nostalgia, star power, and reality. Until they fully pick a lane, this season will feel less like a step forward and more like time being wasted.
