Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg technically posted a double-double in his NBA debut on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, with 10 points and 10 rebounds. But the No. 1 overall pick shot just 4-of-13 from the field, committed three turnovers (to zero assists), and was a team-worst -29 in a blowout loss to the division-rival Spurs.
“Not great,” Flagg said after the game when asked to evaluate his performance, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “Obviously, didn’t play incredibly well, but we’ve got to move past it, turn our focus and start looking toward Friday (against the Wizards).”
Flagg’s critical assessment of his debut wasn’t echoed by his teammates, head coach, or even his opponents. Spurs guard and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle told reporters that Flagg was “a lot more poised than I thought he would be,” while Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said he thought Flagg “played within himself” and took what the defense gave him. Kidd added that the former Duke star looked more comfortable and aggressive in the third quarter after going scoreless in the first half.
“I thought he played well,” Kidd said. “Now, the stat line is not going to say that, but no one in this room is sitting in his shoes. As a rookie, he did fine and he’s going to learn from this game. We all will, and we’ll be better next time we take the floor.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Despite a blowout loss on Wednesday, Kidd remains comfortable with a super-sized starting lineup that features Flagg at point guard alongside Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Anthony Davis, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). The unit was only on the court for six minutes together due to foul issues, but played the Spurs to a draw during that limited sample. “It changes the dynamics of the rotation,” Kidd said of the Mavs’ early foul trouble. “We gotta look at game two if we can stay out of foul trouble.”
- When the Mavericks signed D’Angelo Russell in free agency, the assumption was that he would be the starting point guard until Kyrie Irving is ready to return from his ACL tear. However, Russell told reporters on Wednesday that he’s not bothered by coming off the bench. “Be a basketball player whenever I get in the game,” Russell said of his mindset, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “Like I said, it just comes down to winning and finishing the game. However, I can help finish a game if need be — and always impact winning — is my goal as well.”
- According to Kidd, the Mavericks aren’t thinking of Russell as their sixth man. “We’re not looking at a starter or sixth man,” the Mavs’ coach said, per Curtis. “He’s going to get enough minutes to help us win. That’s why he’s here. That’s what we believe. We’re not going to label him as a sixth man.”
- Veteran center Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) is listed as questionable for Friday’s game vs. Washington and has a chance to make his season debut against his former team. As Curtis writes, Gafford is ramping up after missing the entire preseason and did some mid-range shooting, one-on-one defense, and free throw shooting in a post-practice drill on Thursday.
[UPDATE: Gafford has been downgraded to out for Friday’s game.]
I agree with Barkley – Flagg isn’t a PG, and Kidd trying to make him one by labeling him the starting PG is somehow OK, but he doesn’t want to label the actual PG they signed to replace Kyrie a 6th man?
Center Lively led the starters with 3 ast, Flagg had a team worst -29 – at least DLo had 3 ast to 1 TO.
Lucky for Kidd they have a pretty soft opening schedule starting with 5 straight home games to start and 6 of 10 at home, and including 2 games vs the Wizards in their 1st 10. Less lucky is that they play OKC on the B2B, the Pacers, and @Pistons, Rockets, and Grizzlies in the same 1st 10 games.
They could easily be below .500 in that stretch.
Bench Klay
That’s savage…..said Megan thee stallion
Kidd playing Giannis at PG early in his career did wonders for his development. I truly believe that if it weren’t for that Giannis would just be an uber athletic lob threat. Flagg has better court vision and awareness at this point than Giannis did then. Honestly he’s he probably has better court vision and awareness than Russell. Point Flagg is probably the best option until Exum can play.
The Mavs shouldn’t be trying to win. Harrison should swallow his pride and trade Davis and build around Flagg and Lively.
They can only realistically rebuild this year, as they only have control of their 2026 pick. The rest are either traded or on a swap. The next ones they control are 2031 or 2032 onwards IIRC. You cant really rebuild effectively without control of your own picks.
No one is trading a Top3 pick for AD at this point or any of the Mavs assets aside from Flagg and to a lesser extent Lively. Both are I would like to say, untouchable but you can never be so sure with Nico.
Davis will get back more than what the Suns got for KD. KD had only one year left on his contract and was 37, with a history of injury.
Davis is 32 and has two years left on his contract l, before player option. They can get a decent young player or two with multiple picks from a contender.
Kyrie is not playing this year. He has his ACL surgery at the very end of March, and older players with a history of leg injuries need at least 12 months to get back on the court and even then they need at least two months on the court to get back on track. Also, next year Kyrie won’t be that effective, since again even younger players without injury history are less effective the second year after ACL.
Without Kyrie the Mavs will at best make the play-in, and honestly with him they’re not contenders.
So, I do think the smart thing to do is trade Anthony. The problem is that Nico, and the new Mavs ownership won’t be able to admit what a blunder the Luka trade was so they have to go for this ride promising that next year when Kyrie comes back it will be different.
Yo 2K …. I guess since Barkley said it. You Will swallow it now. PG with no assists doesn’t work.
Cooper isn’t Bron. Bron can handle PG. He just doesn’t want to play it. It wears down a big body. Mavs better of starting Russell there. PG is a real position and takes certain talents. Not everyone can do it. And the real ones. Make a big difference in the game.
Mavs another team that should be looking for PG help.
They (Kidd) are setting back Flagg’s development by a few seasons. Kidd wants to do exactly what he did with giannis but those are different players. Giannis is much more dynamic and honestly not a great cutter.
Also, that team had guys who made a career out of getting their own bucket, like khris Middleton, who could absorb playmaking duties. That just isn’t there in klay Thompson, pj Washington, lively and AD.
They want that kind of development, but I think Flagg at point looks more like the Sochan failure than the Giannis experiment. Flagg now gets no easy looks, minimal transition opportunities/kick aheads, no off ball cutting. Fire Nico might not be the first person that needs to go….