Behind all the offseason chatter and buzz, the Dallas Mavericks have quietly put together a strong offseason as they look to take a major step next season.
Make no mistake. The show in Dallas is now run by Cooper Flagg, the 19-year-old rising sophomore sensation who played like a top 15 player in the NBA last season. It wouldn’t be stunning if Flagg took an MVP-sized leap next season, especially if he is surrounded with more firepower.
In a highly unlikely but legal (and fun!) trade idea, the Mavs pick up the phone and call the Golden State Warriors about Steph Curry.
The Mavericks Trade Idea That Pairs Steph Curry With Cooper Flagg
GettyDALLAS, TEXAS – JANUARY 22: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after scoring during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on January 22, 2026 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
The Warriors were hoping for a major lift in the form of adding LeBron James this offseason. Instead, James took his talents to the City of Brotherly love, with the Warriors, already one of the oldest teams in the NBA wondering what’s next.
Why not do Curry a favor and get him to a team that could help him win a fifth NBA championship … while Curry gets to play a lead role?
Here’s a fun, hypothetical trade that gets Curry to Dallas:
Mavericks receive: Stephen Curry
Warriors receive: Michael Porter Jr., P.J. Washington, Caleb Martin, Noah Clowney and three first round picks (two via DAL, one via BKN)
Brooklyn Nets receive: Daniel Gafford, Naji Marshall and Gui Santos
It is important to reiterate that this is purely a fantasy and fun trade idea. In this hypothetical deal, there is something for all three teams to enjoy.
The Warriors would let Curry loose — yes, to a conference rival — and allow him to get back to playing competitive basketball, which he badly desires. Next to the sensational Flagg and Irving, another elite player, the Mavs would become a highly intriguing team in the West that would stack up favorably in a playoff setting.
The Nets would get off of Porter Jr.’s contract and receive some win-now talent and depth.
While saying goodbye to Curry would pain the Bay area fans, let’s face it: the Warriors would be doing Curry a favor by sending him to a team in a much better position to contend.
Why Trading Curry Isn’t Far-Fetched; How Would Dallas Look With the Chef?
GettySAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 25: Klay Thompson #31 of the Dallas Mavericks (L) and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors (R) shakes hands at center court while they warm up prior to the start of their game at Chase Center on December 25, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Curry is owed over $62 million next season, meaning the Mavs would be hashing out a pretty penny to land a 38-year-old with a recent injury history. But there’s no denying Curry is still a top 10 player when healthy.
In a bit of a head-turning report after James signed with the Sixers, insider Tim Kawakami revealed the Warriors are now focused on the future and not so much the present. For Curry, that may raise eyebrows (and some internal frustration).
“What Lacob wants to do and this might get Warriors’ fans mad, but he wants to build the next team after Stephen Curry. I don’t know how possible that is. But Lacob has a very keen interest in, ‘This organization’s going to show what it can do with Steph Curry and then after him. I don’t think it’s going to be as good myself. But that’s what he wants to do,” Kawakami said on the TK Show.
If the Warriors don’t intend to compete for championships in the remaining years of Curry, it is fair to question why the franchise would keep him around. Why not let a legend who is still near the top of his game play high-level basketball?
NBA insider Kevin O’Conner sides with this opinion.
“What a shame,” O’Conner wrote on X. “Steph Curry is still one of the best players in the world. To not make an effort to win another title with him is truly a joke. And if you’re not gonna do that, then you have to trade him. Instead, the Warriors are just wasting Steph’s final years. So sad.”
Of course, Curry means so much more than the 26 points and the nearly 10 exciting 3-pointers per game; he brings so much value to the franchise. Heck, he is the franchise. He is box office. He is putting huge money in the owner’s pockets.
But No. 30 deserves better than playing on a team headed for another 30-something win season.
Mavericks Proposed to Land Steph Curry in Massive 3-Team Trade for 4 Players