Cooper Flagg's Family 'Monitored' Mavs Fans' Backlash to Luka Doncic, Lakers Trade

The family of Duke star Cooper Flagg "monitored the voluminous backlash" among Dallas Mavericks fans following Luka Dončić's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, according to ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

"The Flaggs saw the jersey burnings, the mock funerals, the protests," Holmes wrote.

That may not have been a bad thing, though.

"They are a very passionate fanbase, and I think from what we understand and what we've seen on social media, they're ready to fully embrace Cooper," Flagg's father, Ralph, said.

In the aftermath of the trade, almost none of the vitriol was aimed at Dončić. The anger was directed squarely at general manager Nico Harrison, team governor Patrick Dumont and Mark Cuban, who sold a majority stake in the Mavs to the Adelson family.

Dončić, by contrast, is still beloved in Dallas. He received a loud ovation during his return to American Airlines Center in April and had Mavericks fans cheering for him throughout the game.

Dirk Nowitzki, who spent his entire 21-year career in Dallas, is likewise a franchise icon with a statue outside of the arena.

There's no question sports fans can be fickle.

The reception toward Dončić would be much different if he had been the one to initiate his move to the Lakers. Nowitzki's legacy shifted dramatically thanks to Dallas' 2011 NBA Finals triumph after years of coming up short in the postseason.

Still, the goodwill toward Flagg will be immense from the moment he's standing on the draft stage and wearing a Mavericks hat. The fans are eager to root for the organization's next young star.