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.”
And-Ones: ESPN Survey, S. Cash, Bargain FAs, More
A panel of 20 coaches, executives, and scouts around the NBA polled by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps overwhelmingly picked Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the current best player in the NBA, with Jokic receiving 19 votes while Lakers guard Luka Doncic earned the last one.
However, the predictions for 2025/26 MVP were more divided — Jokic leads the way with seven votes, but Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (five), Doncic (four), and Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama (two) each received multiple votes, while Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards each got one too.
The panel polled by Bontemps also predicted who will be the NBA’s best player in 2030 (Wembanyama received 16 votes), who will win Rookie of the Year in 2025/26 (Cooper Flagg earned 19 votes), and where LeBron James will be when the 2026/27 season begins — seven respondents expect him to still be a Laker, while five said he’ll be retired and eight believe he’ll be with a new team.
Those coaches, executives, and scouts also believe the Hawks (seven votes) had the best offseason of the NBA’s 30 teams, while the Pelicans (nine votes) had the worst summer. And they nearly unanimously picked the Thunder to repeat as champions. Just two respondents chose the Nuggets to win the 2026 title, while the other 18 stuck with Oklahoma City.
Here are more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- After being let go by the Pelicans in April, former WNBA star and veteran NBA executive Swin Cash is joining Amazon Prime Video for the 2025/26 season, according to Richard Deitsch of The Athletic. Cash will have the role of “front office insider” on Prime Video’s NBA studio show, then will become a studio analyst for Amazon’s WNBA coverage.
- Thomas Bryant, Precious Achiuwa, Alec Burks, and Delon Wright are among the unsigned players identified by Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report as bargain free agents who are capable of helping any NBA team.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic views the Thunder (62.5 wins), Clippers (48.5), Warriors (45.5), Bulls (32.5), and Jazz (18.5) as the five teams who are the best bets to exceed the over/under win projections set by oddsmakers for the 2025/26 season.
Southwest Notes: D. Smith, J. Jackson, Spurs, Nowitzki, Flagg
While Dennis Smith Jr. rejoining the Mavericks makes for a nice storyline, it’s unlikely the veteran guard will make the 15-man roster out of training camp, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets. Smith is signing a one-year deal with Dallas, the team that made him the No. 9 pick of the 2017 draft. However, it’s likely to be only a training camp contract and the Mavericks already have 14 players on fully guaranteed deals, with Brandon Williams on a partial guarantee.
Among Dallas’ motivations for signing Smith, according to Stein, was ensuring he receives an Exhibit 10 bonus if he reports to the G League. That means Smith, who didn’t play in the league last season, will likely wind up with the Texas Legends.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. says he’s progressing well from turf toe surgery, though it’s uncertain whether he’ll be ready to play by the season opener. “I’m aiming for whatever my body is telling me, but I’m progressing the right way,” Jackson told Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I’m feeling good. I’m doing what I need to do. Every day has been a building block, so I’m just trying to make it to whatever (timeframe). I think everybody is going to be happy.”
- San Antonio’s City Council will hold a key vote next week on a proposed new arena for the Spurs, according to Paul Fogerty of Spurs Talk. The cost of the arena is projected to be $1.3-$1.5 billion with the city contributing up to $489MM.
- Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki believes Cooper Flagg will live up to his billing as a franchise-altering talent, he told Christian Clark of The Athletic. “The hype is real, for sure,” Nowitzki said. “I’m not the biggest college sports watcher in general, whether that’s basketball or any sport, but of course I checked out Cooper. Sky is the limit, honestly. What I saw, just the way he reads the game already at that age. (He’s) barely 18, athletic, (has) skills. I heard his work ethic is through the roof. Everything I saw and heard is he’s the real deal.”
Southwest Notes: Russell, Mavericks Questions, Clarke, G League Trade
Mavericks guard Klay Thompson hosted the annual Mavericks “vet camp” and new acquisition D’Angelo Russell was among those in attendance. As Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal writes, the experience helped Russell gain some familiarity with his new teammates ahead of the season.
“When you have that camaraderie to start the season, all the ice is broken,” Russell said. “You don’t wait until preseason or until media day to feel like you know these guys. You develop that relationship and camaraderie ASAP. So, I’m excited, man.”
The Mavericks’ training camp will begin on Sept. 30.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- One of the biggest questions surrounding the Mavericks entering the season is how they’ll deploy their offense without Kyrie Irving (ACL), Christian Clark of The Athletic writes. Dallas signed Russell to help offset the loss of Irving, but having Cooper Flagg take on some ball-handling responsibilities is not out of the question.
- Grizzlies big man Brandon Clarke suffered a high grade PCL strain in March that caused him to miss the remainder of the 2024/25 season. According to Damichael Cole of Memphis Commercial Appeal, Clarke said he feels good and expects to be ready for the start of the season. “I’m ramping up right now,” Clarke said. “I feel great. I’m doing everything. Ramping up to play with my team on day one. I’ll be there.”
- The Thunder and Spurs‘ G League affiliates made a trade, swapping the returning player rights of Malachi Flynn (to the Oklahoma City Blue) and Adam Flagler (to the Austin Spurs), per Rylan Stiles of Thunder on SI (Twitter link). The Blue also obtained a 2025 first-round pick and 2026 second-round pick. Flynn is joining a Turkish club, so this trade does not mean that he will suit up for Oklahoma City’s G League affiliate — just that they obtained his rights if he does play in the G League in the future. Flagler signed with the Spurs on an Exhibit 10 deal that entitles him to a bonus if he spends 60 days with Austin, so this deal ensures that he’ll end up there this season.
And-Ones: Award Predictions, Top Forwards, Free Agency, Cui
Will Nikola Jokic win a fourth Most Valuable Player award in 2025/26? He’s the top choice among a panel of ESPN Insiders to capture the league’s top individual honor next season. Luka Doncic ranks as the second pick, with reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander getting the third-most votes.
The panel also offers their predictions on five other major awards, including Rookie of the Year (no surprise, they picked No. 1 draft choice Cooper Flagg) and Sixth Man of the Year (Alex Caruso and Naz Reid received the most votes}.
We have more from around the international basketball world:
- Who’s the top forward in the NBA? Giannis Antetokounmpo is in a class of his own, according to The Athletic’s Zach Harper. The Bucks superstar holds the tier-one level all by himself in “The Bounce’s Top 40 Forwards.” Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero and Zion Williamson are in the tier-two “Still Elite, Just Not Giannis” level. Heading up the group of six players who round out the top 10 and start the tier-three level is Draymond Green.
- Free agency isn’t what it used to be in the NBA, with most star players signing extensions before they ever reach that point. HoopsHype’s Alberto De Roa examines the decline in free agency’s importance, noting that only one player this summer who changed teams — new Bucks center Myles Turner — secured a contract with at least $100MM in guaranteed money.
- Cui Yongxi – also known as Jacky Cui – is working toward an NBA comeback after tearing his ACL in December with the G League’s Long Island Nets, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. He has been working out in Brooklyn and is now participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages in Los Angeles. The 22-year-old free agent guard had been on a two-way contract and appeared in five games with the Nets but was waived by Brooklyn in December following the injury.
Southwest Notes: Flagg, Griffin, Sengun, Grizzlies Arena
Mavericks No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is one of the most anticipated rookies since the days of Blake Griffin. Appearing on the Post Moves podcast with former WNBA MVP Candace Parker and rising All-Star Aliyah Boston, Griffin himself explained why there’s so much hype around Flagg and broke down what he loves about the forward’s game.
“I think he is the most complete player that we’ve seen come into the NBA in recent memory,” Griffin said (hat tip to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal for the transcription). “I’m not saying he doesn’t have room to grow — he still has a ton of room to grow — but he passes, shoots, defends, rebounds. He seems like a great teammate, a great kid. There is, like, what’s the red flag? Which is really exciting for basketball to have these young guys. … Cooper is just able to play and guard so many different positions.”
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Rockets All-Star big man Alperen Sengun has been working to develop a more consistent three-point shot over the summer, per Eurohoops. Sengun has been plying his trade for native Turkey in preparation for EuroBasket next week.“We mostly worked on shooting,” coach Djordje Sijan said. “I went through Partizan’s school with centers, and I can say that Sengun is the best player with his back to the basket in Europe. In the NBA, they focused on where he is dominant, and he developed to perfection. But creativity was forbidden to him. I was asked in an interview, ‘What did you do with him?’ Nothing, I let him get off the shots from all possible positions. Some coaches don’t like it. But this year we worked mostly on the three-point shot. That shot was forbidden to him.”
- The city of Memphis and the Grizzlies have been collaborating on a $550MM plan to renovate FedEx Forum, reports Samuel Hardiman of The Daily Memphian (subscriber link). Both sides want to keep the franchise in town beyond the 2028/29 end of the Grizzlies’ current lease.
- In case you missed it, the Spurs have brought in beloved NBL coach Jacob Chance to lead their G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs.
Southwest Notes: Lively, Flagg, Giannis, Wembanyama, Sengun, Durant, Smith Jr.
Mavericks center Dereck Lively II has only two years of NBA experience but he’s playing a mentorship role to top pick Cooper Flagg, according to Jake Rogers of Dallas Hoops Journal. Naturally, they have a college connection, as both were one-and-dones at Duke.
“I’ve probably known him for a couple of years now, at least two or three,” Lively said. “He’s always been the same smiling, joking kid. I’m glad he’s been able to stay grounded, not letting the spotlight overwhelm him. Whether he’s in the gym or hanging out at the house, he’s always just being Coop.”
Lively has stayed in frequent contact with Flagg since the draft.
“I’m making sure he feels as comfortable as possible, giving him any little detail or advice. I remember how frightened I was at 19. He’s only 18,” Lively said.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has carved out a Hall of Fame worthy career but he’s also into collecting memorabilia of other NBA superstars. His current target is Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama, he told Brooks Peck of The Athletic during an appearance at the National Sports Collector Convention. “I want Wemby’s first rookie card ever,” Antetokounmpo said. “I think he’s gonna be one of the best players in the league in the next couple of years. I think he will have a very great career moving forward, so — maybe like a jersey, his first jersey or his first basketball shoe when he played his first NBA game, or the first ball that he played with and scored his very first point. You gotta go with Wemby, Steph (Curry), LeBron (James), MJ (Michael Jordan). Those are great investments.”
- Rockets center Alperen Sengun believes the offense will thrive with the addition of Kevin Durant. Sengun, who will play for Turkey in EuroBasket, made his comments to Anadolu, Turkey’s state-run news agency (hat tip to RocketsWire). “I’m excited to play with Durant. Everyone is excited to play with him. It doesn’t matter his age — ultimately, he’s Kevin Durant. I have no doubt he will bring a lot to the team,” Sengun said. “He’s very experienced, and we have some very young players. I think he’ll open up the game for us. He’s incredibly effective both offensively and defensively.”
- Along the same lines, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. said he believes playing with Durant will be a learning experience, RocketsWire relays via an interview with Space City Home Network’s Vanessa Richardson. “Kevin Durant is one of the greatest players to ever touch a basketball,” Smith said. “It’s going to be great for me to learn from him, and see what he does, day-to-day… and just soak up as much game as I can. It’s going to be fun playing alongside him and going to battle with him.”
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.
Summer League Notes: Rookie Standouts, Maluach, Fears
The 2025 Summer League gave fans and teams first impressions of most of this year’s incoming rookies, as well as serving as a showcase for several sophomores and younger veterans. In the wake of the event, Law Murray of the Athletic breaks down each rookie’s performance with an eye for what it could mean for the coming season.
Cooper Flagg (Mavericks), Dylan Harper (Spurs), and VJ Edgecombe (Sixers) were arguably the biggest names who participated in the Summer Leagues – headlined by the Las Vegas event – and despite some shooting efficiency concerns, all three gave their fans plenty of reason for excitement.
Flagg displayed a well-rounded on-ball skill set, Harper came up clutch in his last game to force overtime, and Edgecombe lived at the free throw line while displaying some advanced ball-screen offensive game, Murray observes.
The next three picks in the draft, Kon Knueppel (Hornets), Ace Bailey (Jazz), and Tre Johnson (Wizards), all showed off their shot-making capabilities, which will likely be what earns them regular playing time as rookies. Knueppel was rewarded for his play with the only All-Summer League Second Team selection among rookies, while Nique Clifford (Kings) was the lone rookie to make the First Team, thanks to his stellar all-around play.
Other rookies, such as Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Carter Bryant (Spurs), Joan Beringer (Timberwolves), and Brooks Barnhizer (Thunder) flashed tantalizing defensive capabilities, though Murray-Boyles and Bryant were inconsistent offensively, Murray notes.
Here are a few more leftover Summer League notes:
- John Hollinger of the Athletic takes a look at some of the low points of Summer League, including the worst ejection of the tournament, awarded to the Celtics‘ Jordan Walsh for not only having an excessive foul on the Heat’s Pelle Larsson, but for accidentally throwing him into Walsh’s own front office executives courtside.
- In terms of players who struggled, Hollinger mentions Khaman Maluach (Suns), who had difficulty catching lobs and other passes, Jeremiah Fears (Pelicans), who was unable to spearhead an offense and create for others, and the limitations of the four Nets rookies who suited up, among others.
- On the non-player side, Hollinger points to an abundance of turnovers caused by stepping out of bounds, as well as the prevalence of split-screen interviews that made following the games an exercise in patience and eagle-eyed vision.
NBA Insiders Talk 2025, 2026 Drafts
Now that the 2025 Summer League has wrapped up, scouts and evaluators around the NBA are looking ahead to the 2026 draft and considering how this year’s draft class might perform as rookies.
Among league personnel, there’s a near-consensus that the Mavericks‘ Cooper Flagg will win Rookie of the Year, according to ESPN’s annual survey of NBA executives and scouts conducted this year by Jeremy Woo. Flagg was the overwhelming favorite, with 17 votes, followed by the Spurs‘ Dylan Harper, who picked up two votes. The Wizards’ Tre Johnson also received a vote.
Those polled speculated that while some rookies, like Johnson or Ace Bailey of the Jazz, may get a chance to shoot and score more points, Flagg’s overall contributions to a team that will likely be fighting for a play-in spot will push him over the edge.
While he didn’t receive a vote for Rookie of the Year, the Sixers‘ VJ Edgecombe was the top vote-getter for those asked who would end up the best non-Flagg pick in the draft.
“VJ might be Philly’s second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid‘s uncertain health,” one general manager said.
When Woo’s poll respondents weighed in on the biggest draft steal, the Spurs’ Carter Bryant led the way, followed by Joan Beringer (Timberwolves) and Kasparas Jakucionis (Heat), though this question proved to be the most wide-ranging in terms of responses.
Executives also discussed the 2026 draft, which is widely anticipated to be a star-studded draft class. When asked about who the top pick would be, Kansas’ Darryn Peterson led the way with 12 votes, while BYU’s A.J. Dybantsa was a close second with eight.
Peterson is described in the article as “one of the best lead guard prospects in recent memory,” though Woo writes that given the high level of competition for the No. 1 spot, the race for the top spot is unlikely to be as open-and-shut as it was in 2025, when Flagg remained relatively unchallenged throughout the draft cycle.
“It’s a total toss-up right now — by no means is [there a] consensus yet,” one executive said.
While only Peterson and Dybantsa received votes as the probable No. 1 pick for 2026, Duke’s Cameron Boozer, Nate Ament (Tennessee), and Mikel Brown (Louisville) are also considered top prospects who could be in the mix for a top spot.
While it’s never easy to predict the future when it comes to the NBA draft, last year’s executive survey had Flagg as the top vote-getter for the number one pick, far ahead of Harper’s second-best vote tally, with Bailey and Edgecombe coming in third and fourth.
In that same poll last year, Reed Sheppard and Zach Edey were forecasted as the top candidates for Rookie of the Year, though eventual winner Stephon Castle came in a close third.