Mavericks Notes: Flagg, Davis, Washington, Lively
No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg enters a unique situation with the Mavericks, who have two other former top picks on the roster in Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, plus a frontcourt with plenty of talent and depth. The 18-year-old forward says he’s going to use the versatility that helped him become an elite prospect, writes Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com.
“For myself, it’s just about being me — going through it, not changing for anybody, impacting the game in a lot of ways, and doing whatever I can to impact winning,” Flagg said at media day. “Coach (Jason) Kidd and I have talked about being versatile. We’ve got a bunch of guys who can do a lot of different things, so we want to use that to our advantage.”
Flagg, who won virtually every college player of the year award last season for Duke, is open about his expectations for 2025/26.
“I’d like to be Rookie of the Year,” Flagg said, per Afseth. “As a team, the goal is obviously to win a championship. But like I said earlier, if I stay true to myself and what got me here, the personal goals will work themselves out.”
Four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson believes Flagg has all the right ingredients to fulfill his potential, Afseth notes.
“Cooper can be as good as he wants to be,” Thompson said. “He’s got all the tools — height, athleticism — but what I love most is that he’s receptive to information and he wants to work. When you combine that with his athleticism, he can be special.”
Here’s more from Dallas:
- The Mavs only had a 1.8% chance of winning the draft lottery and Davis admitted he wasn’t watching the unlikely occurrence in May. Still, he was thrilled with the outcome, according to Christian Clark of The Athletic. “He’s a hell of a talent,” Davis said of Flagg. “He can do everything on the floor. It was a great moment for us.”
- Davis says his goal for this season is the same as it was when he was shockingly traded to Dallas in the Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. “Same as last year at my press conference: my goal hasn’t changed. I want to bring a championship here,” Davis said. “We’ve got a good team. The key is health — staying healthy. I’m happy and excited to be here, and I want to win here.”
- The 10-time All-Star big man is listed at 268 pounds for training camp, 15 pounds heavier his listed weight last season. Davis says he isn’t concerned, explaining that’s not unusual for him to enter camp above his playing weight because he typically loses 10-12 pounds during the season and is feeling “great,” tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
- According to Clark, forward P.J. Washington made it clear he hopes to spend the rest of his career with his hometown team. Washington signed a four-year, $89MM extension last month. “It’s always been home for me,” Washington said. “I’m just blessed to be here. I’ve always wanted to be here. Hopefully, I end my career here.”
- Center Dereck Lively II was limited to just 36 games last season after playing 55 contests as a rookie. He’s determined to be available more often in year three following offseason ankle surgery, per Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “I want to stay healthy—that’s the biggest (goal),” he said. “From there, I want to keep growing as a defensive anchor. Be somebody my teammates trust to call things out, protect the rim, and cover for them.” Lively will be on a minutes restriction to start the season and he’s happy with the team’s plan. “Honestly, I just take whatever comes,” the 21-year-old said. “If it’s 24 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever the coaches need from me, I’ll give everything I have in that time. I’m just focused on playing the right way and building myself back up.”
Anthony Davis Will Wear Protective Glasses For Remainder Of Career
Like Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did in the 1970s and 1980s, Anthony Davis will not take the court without protective eyewear. The Mavericks big man will require protective glasses the rest of his career, per his doctor’s mandate, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link).
Davis underwent a procedure in July to repair a detached retina in his right eye. He reportedly played through “multiple hits to the face” last season.
Most notably, the big man visited an ophthalmologist last November after getting poked in his other eye — reporting at the time indicated he was experiencing swelling and had difficulty keeping that eye open. That injury, which occurred when Davis was a Laker, was referred to last fall as a corneal abrasion and didn’t cost him any games.
Davis says his vision is now clear and he has no limitations entering camp, MacMahon tweets. However, there is significant redness in his right eye, which he says is caused by eye drops that he has to use.
Davis, who was traded from Los Angeles to Dallas in the controversial Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, was only able to make nine appearances during his first half-season as a Maverick due to an adductor injury.
The 32-year-old averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks in just 29.6 minutes per night in those nine outings. He’s entering the first year of a three-year extension he signed with the Lakers in 2023. It’s worth approximately $175MM and includes a third-year player option.
Stein’s Latest: Warriors, Kuminga, Wizards, Bailey, THT, Davis
As Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article for The Stein Line, the Warriors‘ training camp will tip off a week from today (September 30), while the deadline for Jonathan Kuminga to accept his qualifying offer arrives one day later (October 1).
That means that if Kuminga’s decision goes down to the wire, the Warriors may open camp with a significant portion of their eventual roster missing. The club is currently carrying just nine players on standard contracts and has opted not to fill the five remaining non-Kuminga roster spots until the restricted free agent’s situation is resolved in order to maximize cap flexibility.
According to Stein, the expectation around the NBA is that the five players who eventually fill the remaining third of Golden State’s roster will be Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Seth Curry, and second-round pick Will Richard. In that scenario, Horford would be signed using the taxpayer mid-level exception, while the others would receive minimum-salary deals.
As for what happens with Kuminga, Stein says he’d be surprised if the 22-year-old sacrifices $40MM-ish in guaranteed money by signing his one-year, $8MM qualifying offer instead of accepting a reported three-year, $75MM proposal that includes a third-year team option, though he cautions that’s just informed speculation rather than sourced information.
Here’s more from Stein:
- The belief around the NBA since June’s draft is that the Wizards – who held the No. 6 overall pick – were Ace Bailey‘s preferred landing spot, says Stein. Utah ultimately drafted Bailey at No. 5. Given their apparent interest in Bailey, it raised some eyebrows when the Wizards signed Sharife Cooper to a two-way contract last week, according to Stein. Cooper, who had been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, is the son of Bailey’s manager Omar Cooper.
- Although six-year NBA veteran Talen Horton-Tucker officially signed a two-year contract with the Turkish team Fenerbahce over the weekend, the expectation is that he’ll try to return to the NBA next summer if his first year in Europe goes well, per Stein. That suggests Horton-Tucker’s deal includes an opt-out clause after year one.
- After reporting on Saturday that Mavericks star Anthony Davis had taken part in some five-on-five scrimmages for the first time since undergoing eye surgery in July, Stein cautions that Dallas will likely take a cautious approach with the big man once camp officially gets underway, since “pickup game intensity cannot compare to training camp intensity.”
Anthony Davis Takes Part In Five-on-Five Scrimmages
Anthony Davis participated in five-on-five games this week, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link), who adds that it’s believed to be Davis’ first “game-speed action” since he underwent eye surgery in July.
The Mavericks‘ big man had a procedure to repair a detached retina, which was reportedly caused by “multiple hits to the face” last season. He was projected to be ready for training camp at the time of the operation, but no medical updates have been issued since then.
Davis’ optical issues began last November when he was still with the Lakers. He visited an ophthalmologist after getting poked in the left eye during a game, which caused swelling and difficulty keeping the eye open.
Davis only appeared in nine games after being traded to Dallas in early February, but that was due to an adductor injury rather than anything to do with his eyes. He averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 blocks in just 29.6 minutes per night in those nine contests.
This week’s scrimmages don’t guarantee that Davis will be a full participant when training camp begins September 30, but they’re definitely a positive sign. Davis made his 10th All-Star appearance last season, and the Mavs are hoping that his improved health, along with the addition of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, will lead them back to the playoffs.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Hachimura, Thiero, Trade Prospects
LeBron James may have been offering a hint about his future, or he could have been trolling fans, the media and Lakers management. Either way, it seems newsworthy that he and former teammate Anthony Davis both posted the same message to their Instagram accounts on Tuesday (hat tip to Ricky O’Donnell of Yahoo Sports).
It’s a quote from entrepreneur and life coach Jay Shetty that reads, “Becoming the best version of yourself comes with a lot of goodbyes.”
James’ future with the Lakers has been up in the air since he picked up his $52.6MM player option in late June. The online message could mean he’s contemplating saying goodbye to Los Angeles, either at some point this season or when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer.
The Mavericks have been mentioned as a possible next team for James, so Davis’ involvement could be significant. Going to Dallas would also reunite James with former Cleveland teammate Kyrie Irving and possibly turn the Mavs into legitimate title contenders again.
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Rui Hachimura is also a year away from free agency and has the chance to earn a long-term deal with L.A. by putting together another strong season, Dan Woike of The Athletic writes in a mailbag column. Even though the Lakers are preserving cap space for the summer of 2027, they may decide Hachimura is worth the investment. He has shot better than 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range in both of his full seasons in L.A., and he showed improvement on defense last season. Woike also views him as a player who’ll benefit from spending a full season with Luka Doncic.
- Second-round pick Adou Thiero, who missed all of Summer League while recovering from a knee injury he suffered in college, has been working out in the Lakers’ facility and is expected to be ready for training camp, Woike states in the same piece. The 21-year-old power forward was selected with the 36th pick in this year’s draft and was part of the seven-team deal that sent Kevin Durant from Phoenix to Houston. Woike notes that Thiero faces a crowded path to get playing time, but adds that he has the defensive skills to give himself a chance.
- With 14 players holding standard contracts, Woike doesn’t expect the Lakers to make any more trades before the start of the season. They have an available first-rounder, a second-rounder and some swaps to offer, but Woike believes it’s more likely they’ll save those assets for a potential deal later on.
Mavs Notes: Davis, Lineups, Arena Site, Casson, Preseason
Injuries prevented the Mavericks from taking a long look at double-big lineups last season. They plan to utilize their size next season in the hopes of making a deep playoff run, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes.
Clark notes that Anthony Davis logged only 95 minutes with either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford in the middle. Davis is expected to play the bulk of his minutes at power forward next season.
“That’s something we have a huge advantage (with) going forward: our size,” Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghame said. “The talent with that size, that’s something we put on a premium here, and it’s been really, really good for us so far.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- In the same story, Clark projects the opening night lineup, with Davis and Lively joined by top pick Cooper Flagg in the frontcourt and D’Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson starting in the backcourt. P.J. Washington, Gafford, Caleb Martin, Naji Marshall and Dante Exum or Max Christie are projected to fill out the rotation.
- Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said that multiple sites for a new arena are being considered and the process is in the early stages. “We have been presented several sites by the city and we are doing a deeper dive on two of them currently to see how viable they are,” he told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Neither may work and we may refocus on others.” Welts has set a goal of choosing a site by the end of the year or early next year. “The process is going to go on, I would guess, for months. But, no, we’re not like on the 10-yard line,” he added.
- Ethan Casson has been named president of business operations for the franchise, Townsend reports in a separate story. Casson announced last month he would step down after nine years as the Timberwolves’ CEO after the sale of the franchise was finalized. He will report to Welts once his new job officially begins on Aug. 11.
- The Mavs will play an Oct. 6 preseason game against the Thunder in Fort Worth, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal, as well as a neutral site preseason contest in Las Vegas against the Lakers on Oct. 15. The remainder of the preseason slate has yet to be revealed.
Mavs’ Anthony Davis Undergoes Procedure On Eye
Mavericks star Anthony Davis has undergone a procedure to repair a detached retina, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The expectation is that he’ll be fully recovered for training camp, Charania adds.
While it’s unclear exactly when the injury first occurred, Charania notes that Davis played through “multiple hits to the face” last season.
Most notably, the big man visited an ophthalmologist last November after getting poked in the left eye — reporting at the time indicated he was experiencing swelling and had difficulty keeping the eye open. That injury, which occurred when Davis was a Laker, was referred to last fall as a corneal abrasion and didn’t cost him any games.
Davis, who was traded from Los Angeles to Dallas in the controversial Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, was only able to make nine appearances during his first half-season as a Maverick due to an adductor injury.
The 32-year-old averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks in just 29.6 minutes per night in those nine outings, generating excitement about what he might be able to do after spending the offseason getting fully healthy and acclimating to his new team.
Mavs Notes: Frontcourt, Washington, Flagg, Free Agency, Sweeney, Lottery Luck
The Mavericks frontcourt might seem a little crowded with Dereck Lively, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford — who just agreed to an extension — joined by top pick Cooper Flagg.
However, general manager Nico Harrison indicated he’s planning to have all of them sharing minutes, rather than moving one of the veterans. He also envisions Washington, the incumbent starting small forward, playing together with Flagg at times. Harrison even brought up the subject with Washington.
“I said, ‘Hey, P.J., you think you guys can play together?’ ” Harrison recalled, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “He’s like, ‘Oh yeah, we can play together.’ So I don’t see any jealousy. I think guys are excited to play with him and as he’s ready, he’s gonna get more and more opportunities.”
By winning the draft lottery, Harrison believes the team will be contenders for years to come.
“I think it’s win now. It’s also win in the future,” Harrison said. “Eventually it’s going to be Cooper’s team. We don’t know when that transition will happen. So I think it’s win now and then set yourself up to win in the future as well.”
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- Harrison envisions Flagg as making an impact in a variety of ways, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He’s a basketball player. He can handle the ball, he can shoot, he can make plays for people. He’s a good passer,” Harrison said. “He’s going to be on the floor. The big thing is: who can he defend? And he’s a great defender.”
- Harrison said the Mavs will look in free agency to fill the temporary void left by Kyrie Irving‘s ACL injury but it won’t necessarily be a traditional point guard. “I’m not really worried about someone to run the offense. I think we’ve got enough guys that can handle the ball and play multiple positions — just someone to get us organized,” Harrison said, per Afseth, adding, “A lot of players want to come play in Dallas.”
- Harrison became extremely unpopular with fans after trading Luka Doncic but the franchise’s lottery luck seems to have to toned down the vitriol, he notes. “I’ve seen the fans react since we got the No. 1 pick. It feels like they’re feeling really good and optimistic about the future,” he said, according to Afseth. “I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so — a little bit maybe.”
- Harrison emphasized during his press conference that Jason Kidd was staying put as head coach, dousing speculation that Kidd could wind up with the Knicks. Sean Sweeney‘s agent, Andy Miller, told Townsend (Twitter link) that Dallas did want to keep Sweeney but that the Spurs offered the highly regarded assistant a “bigger role.” “Sean’s contract was expiring,” Miller said. “Dallas made a yeoman’s effort to obviously retain him. They wanted to keep him. I think for Sean this is an opportunity to have a bigger role, a bigger say, more input, with an upward trajectory…”
- A team source told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that the organization was stunned when it drew the top combination in the lottery last month. “We never even considered that the impossible could happen on May 12,” the source said. “I’m not sure there has ever been a more abrupt reversal of fortune.”
Mavericks Notes: Two Timelines, Offseason, Point Guards
Armed with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft as well as two 2025 All-Stars on the wrong side of 30, the Mavericks are gearing up for a “two-timeline” approach, much like the Warriors strived to do when they had an opportunity to complement aging incumbent stars with lottery picks in 2020 and ’21, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic.
Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the top prospect among the 2025 draft class, could slot in as the rare one-and-done rookie who helps his team win in the present, Clark opines. The big question about Dallas’ contender status, however, stems from just how healthy 32-year-old Anthony Davis and 33-year-old Kyrie Irving will be during the next few years they’re under contract.
There’s more out of Dallas:
- After drafting Flagg, the Mavericks will have a variety of items to address during the 2025 offseason, as Keith Smith of Spotrac details in a thorough summer preview. Irving has a player option for next year, while guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Dante Exum are unrestricted free agents. Smith notes that Irving expects to return to the floor around the 2026 All-Star break. Smith projects that he could opt out and agree to a three-year, $120MM deal to remain with the Mavericks. Smith notes that free agents like Chris Paul, Malcolm Brogdon, Tyus Jones and Tre Jones could all get a look from Dallas as possible Irving replacements.
- With Irving likely sidelined for much of the 2025/26 season, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News proposes five veteran players at Irving’s position that the Mavericks could target on the trade market, including Bulls guards Coby White and Lonzo Ball, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, and more.
- In case you missed it, Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney has made the third round of candidates for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy.
Mavs’ Kidd Talks No. 1 Pick, Flagg, Doncic Trade
Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show this week (YouTube link), Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd admitted he wasn’t watching Monday’s draft lottery live and said he thought there was a “1” missing when he received text messages telling him that Dallas would be drafting in the top four and then that the team had secured the No. 1 overall pick.
“I just felt we were going to stay around 11, if not go backwards, the way things were going for us this year,” Kidd said (hat tip to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal).
Asked by Patrick whether the Mavs plan to use the No. 1 overall pick to select Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the consensus top prospect in this year’s draft pool, Kidd was hesitant to outright confirm as much or to discuss Flagg directly, explaining that he’s trying “to make sure we don’t get in any trouble.”
When Patrick asked if the NBA would be fine with him commenting on “the kid from Duke,” the Mavs’ coach smiled and replied, “We’re excited about the kid at Duke.”
[RELATED: Mavs Intend To Keep No. 1 Pick, Draft Cooper Flagg]
[RELATED: Cooper Flagg Comments On Fit With Mavericks]
“I’m just the coach (but) yes, I would say we’re all concentrating on No. 1,” Kidd said. “The draft is deep, but the name you just brought up, I think we’re all focused on.”
If the lottery outcome had been different, Flagg could have ended up as the centerpiece for a rebuilding club like Utah or Washington. Instead, he’ll be joining a team with championship aspirations led by veterans like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. Kidd believes it’ll be an ideal situation for the No. 1 pick.
“He’ll be 18. He doesn’t turn 19 until December, and so just understanding he’s young, but he’s very talented, can play both ends,” Kidd said. “Being able to have older players—and when I say that, out of respect, they’re not dinosaurs—but when you look at the age of 30, Ky, AD, guys that are here, Klay could definitely help him with the process of going through a rookie season.
“… I think this is a great situation for him,” Kidd continued. “(Considering) the different guys that we have already on the team, the pressure of living up to No. 1 will be a lot easier with the talent around him. When you talk about the other clubs (he could’ve ended up with), he would have to produce right away at a high, high level. I think this is a great situation for him to grow his game, where the pressure isn’t as high. But we are playing for a championship.”
Kidd also spoke to Patrick about how he learned about – and reacted to – the Luka Doncic trade in February, explaining that when he got that call from general manager Nico Harrison at a hotel in Cleveland, he immediately began considering how the star guard’s departure and the additions of Davis and Max Christie would affect the Mavericks’ game plan.
According to Kidd, the day of the trade was the last time he spoke to Doncic. Having been unexpectedly traded himself as a player, the Mavs’ head coach knew some of what the 26-year-old was going through.
“I don’t think he was too happy. From the experience of being traded, maybe being surprised, upset, feelings are high,” Kidd said (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops). “But I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka. He’s an incredible person, and we all know his talent is one of the best in the world. … I’ve always said this publicly and privately: I wish Luka the best. He’s one of the best players in the world.”