Southwest Notes: Bagley, Flagg, Coward, Plumlee

With the announcement that Kyrie Irving would not play this year, the rest of the Mavericks’ season is expected to function as something of a fact-finding mission, Mike Curtis writes for the Dallas Morning News.

Dallas has five players set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, and one newcomer who has shown enough to warrant long-term consideration is Marvin Bagley III, who was a part of the Anthony Davis trade between the Mavs and Wizards.

“He’s a really good player,” coach Jason Kidd said of the former No. 2 overall pick. “He’s a grown-up and understands the NBA game a little bit. Sometimes it takes time. We all want it to happen overnight. I think the coaching staff, the media, everyone that’s been on this road trip or with him, has made him comfortable and you can see the way he’s playing.”

Since arriving in Dallas, Bagley has averaged 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds in six games as a reserve and has three double-doubles in that span. Curtis points to the 26-year-old’s energy on the glass as a major factor in his success. Bagley is averaging 3.7 offensive rebounds per game with the Mavs and is a different archetype of big man than their top two centers, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

Curtis writes that Bagley has yet to find a franchise that will commit to him, but a deal to keep him in Dallas as a reserve center could be mutually beneficial.

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

• Cooper Flagg remains out for the Mavericks‘ game against the Kings on Thursday, Curtis notes (via Twitter). This will mark the fifth absence in a row for Flagg, who is dealing with a midfoot sprain, after he had previously missed just four games all season. Even if Flagg were to miss extended time, he’s not in danger of missing out on any end-of-year awards, as the 65-game rule does not apply to Rookie of the Year or All-Rookie.
• Having traded Jaren Jackson Jr. for picks and unproven players and with Ja Morant‘s future with the team still up in the air, the Grizzlies may be in need of a new face of the franchise, prompting Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal to wonder if Cedric Coward can step into that role. As Cole writes, Coward is notably self-assured for a rookie. “He’s a very mature kid for his age,” coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “I think that’s a very valuable commodity to have.” Coward has been injured since early February, but has still been very engaged with the team, both during games and practices, teammate Jaylen Wells noted. For his part, Coward is trying to keep a level head with the prospect of such expectations being placed on his relatively inexperienced shoulders. “You just try to make the best of whatever situation it is,” he said. “Whether it’s franchise cornerstone, whether it’s a building block — no matter what it is, the title doesn’t mean anything to me.“
• Mason Plumlee knows he won’t be playing major minutes with the Spurs, but he’s excited to take advantage of whatever opportunities present themselves, Tom Orsborn writes for the San Antonio Express-News. “I think I’ve seen guys check in for five minutes and turn a game around,” he said. “That’s the way I look at it.” The soon-to-be 36-year-old is inactive due to “return to competition reconditioning” as he makes his way back from groin surgery, but he says he feels great and is ready to get started with an organization he’s long admired. “When I came into the league (as a late-first round pick in 2013), the Spurs had all the guys that were winning championships, and I just remember them being so sharp in everything they did on the court, and you hear about how well it’s run behind the scenes and everybody gets hired (to become head coaches) out of here,” he said. “So you kind of know coming in that there’s something that works, there’s something unique.”