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There is no better way for a basketball team to be greeted after a four-day layoff than with a road-home back-to-back.
After Friday night’s contest against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers will play host to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night back at Xfinity Mobile Arena, getting their first look at 2025 No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Here to get us up to speed on all things Mavericks – from Flagg to ongoing trade rumors in Dallas, to the deal the Sixers and Mavericks made last February – is Mette Robertson, whose NBA coverage includes writing about the Mavericks at Mavs Moneyball.
Let’s talk to Mette:
Adam Aaronson: I am going to ask about the other trade the Mavericks made at last year’s trade deadline. One of the lone saving graces of the 2024-25 Sixers season was their trade of Caleb Martin and a 2030 second-round pick to Dallas for Quentin Grimes and the return of their 2025 second-round pick. Grimes almost immediately initiated an unexpected scoring breakout, and that 2025 second-rounder became the No. 35 overall pick. What is the legacy of that trade in Dallas? How has Martin fared with the Mavericks?
Mette Robertson: Basically, it’s seen as the second-worst trade in memory. If it hadn’t been for the sheer shock of the Luka Dončić trade, this would have taken all attention. Quentin Grimes had been great that season and was already a very popular player in Dallas. His scoring, IQ and shooting from the perimeter were proving important for the team, especially when the stars were out with injuries. He was a good fit on that roster and a valuable rotation player – and he could have been an important part of keeping the Mavs afloat this season. As with the Luka trade, the logic behind it is incomprehensible still.
That obviously didn’t help how Dallas fans view Caleb Martin and did from the beginning. Fans were not impressed with that trade, which they saw as skewed, and it made matters a lot worse that he showed up injured and unable to play for a substantial amount of time.
How has he fared, you ask? Well, he averages nine minutes per game this season and 2.1 points, and has had a number of DNP’s already. He doesn’t really have a role on the team at all and is at best an end-of-bench guy, despite injuries plaguing the team. He will be compared to Grimes all through his time here because of that trade, and that’s not really doing him any favors.
MORE: Instant reaction to Caleb Martin-Quentin Grimes swap
AA: Since Nico Harrison was fired, it has appeared that the Mavericks are more focused on building their team around Cooper Flagg long-term than the short-term championship ambitions they had around Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Davis is set to be one of the highest-profile players in trade rumors as the deadline approaches. Should Dallas be aggressive trying to find a new home for the 10-time All-Star?
MR: Should? Yes. Whether they will is another story. We have no idea how this interim management thinks or works. While sending signals that they want to compete now, they’re also putting it out there that they’re looking to trade Davis. They’re not clear in their communication or strategy, and we can just hope for a more clear path forward as the season unfolds. I bet that’s what they’re waiting to see, too, before committing either way.
A recalibration of this Mavs team is needed if they want to stay somewhat relevant the next couple of years, which they keep saying they do. To do that, they have to find some cap space, ideally some kind of draft picks and some young, solid players to build around Flagg.
MORE: Tyrese Maxey’s new signature skill, and welcome to the start of NBA trade season
AA: Let’s get to Flagg, because he is one of the most interesting players in the league. Sunday is just Flagg’s 19th birthday and he is already a good NBA player. Where has Flagg grown the most from opening night to now? What should Sixers fans who have not yet seen him play expect in this game?
MR: Cooper Flagg is just remarkable. I don’t say this easily, I’ve followed and covered Luka Dončić since Real Madrid, but Flagg is exceptional. On all levels, even when he has an off-night, he does something extraordinary.
He had a record 42 points in 42 minutes Tuesday against the Jazz, and seems to grow with pressure and responsibility. Down the stretch, Jason Kidd tends to just give him the ball recently – and he delivers. He’s among the top clutch scorers in the league – as an 18-year-old rookie! The fact that he doesn’t shy away from pressure in the clutch says a lot about his potential ceiling.
But the fascinating part is that Flagg is not just a scorer, he plays the right way. And that’s one aspect of the game where you see him develop from week to week, and game to game. He’s just a magnet for big highlight plays, and the way he dominates when he goes downhill is almost LeBron-like at times.
If you pay close attention, you’ll notice that the right-handed rookie uses his left hand at least as much. The fact that his right thumb has been injured would be impossible to know if it wasn’t on the injury report, because he’s almost more effective going left.
It’s hard not to gush about this guy. He is so young and has everything it takes to become one of the best ever. His athleticism was known before he entered the league, as well as his big defensive plays. But it’s on offense that he keeps developing and surprising. Future superstar, future face of the league? The sky is the limit for him right now.
MORE: Reacting to calls to trade Jared McCain; what’s enabled Sixers’ defensive turnaround?
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