The Dallas Mavericks have big plans for their No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg. Following the NBA Draft this week, head coach Jason Kidd revealed the strategy for Flagg, whose career starts next month in the NBA Summer League. His first game will be against the Lakers, the same team Luka Doncic now calls home.
"The early expectation is Flagg would play in Dallas’ first two summer league games: July 10 against the Lakers before San Antonio," reported Marc Stein.
While Flagg is a small forward by nature, Kidd intends to try him as a point guard early on, filling the role left by Kyrie Irving's season-ending injury.
“I want to put him at point guard," said Jason Kidd in a chat with Stein. "I’m excited to give him the ball against the Lakers and see what happens.”
Flagg has been the expected top pick for months now, so it's no surprise that the Dallas Mavericks settled on him right away. In his lone season at Duke, he was the star of the show with averages of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game on 48.1% shooting. At 6'9" and 205 pounds, he's an ideal size at the wing, and his skills make an impact on both ends of the floor.
In Dallas, it seems like he'll be used primarily as a point guard, which means he'll be looking to tap into his passing and playmaking abilities. Fortunately, the Mavericks have a solid core in place and a roster that should be poised to help him succeed right out of the gate.
At 18 years old, it could be a long time before Cooper reaches his maximum potential, but he can lean on veterans like Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson until he's ready to take the reins. With all the pressure in the world on his shoulders, Flagg is facing some serious heat to live up to fan expectations, and it could hinder his NBA trajectory.
All he can do now is follow the Mavericks' lead and learn from his mistakes one game at a time. The initial growing pains will likely be tough, but he has a chance to pull off something special if he endures through the worst of it.
The first taste of this new beginning starts on July 10, when both teams face off against each other for their Summer League debut. It'll be the first time that the Lakers and Mavericks face each other since April, when Dallas took a 13-point loss at home.
Going into next season, both teams are in a state of uncertainty about their position. As the Lakers come off a disappointing playoff run, they hope to make moves this summer that will maximize their chances. Meanwhile, the Mavericks have chosen to grow from within as they add younger talent to their ranks.
For Flagg, he's caught up in the middle of this heated cold war, and as the Mavs look to justify the Luka trade, it will only put more pressure on Cooper to perform. So far, he's answered the call like a champ, and the Mavericks see some great things for his future.
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