Klay Thompson

Charania’s Latest: Mavs, Pacers, T. Young, Nets, Kuminga, Kings

December 9th, 2025 at 8:37am CST by Luke Adams

While the Mavericks are expected to explore trade options involving star forward/center Anthony Davis, he isn’t the only notable Dallas player who could be on the move this winter, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. Sources tell Charania that the Mavs are also open to exploring the trade markets for center Daniel Gafford, swingman Klay Thompson, and point guard D’Angelo Russell.

Gafford signed a three-year, $54.4MM extension over the summer that will take effect in 2026/27, but remains trade-eligible because that deal didn’t exceed the extend-and-trade limits; Thompson is earning $16.7MM this season and is owed a $17.5MM guaranteed salary in 2026/27; and Russell is making $5.7MM in 2025/26, with a $6MM player option for next season.

As Charania observes, Thompson was sold on joining the Mavericks during the 2024 offseason in large part because he’d get to team up with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. But Doncic is no longer on the roster and Irving has been sidelined for over nine months due to an ACL tear. The Mavs are off to a 9-16 start this season and teams around the NBA know that Thompson would prefer to be on a team close to title contention, Charania continues.

While head coach Jason Kidd and minority owner Mark Cuban have some input in personnel decisions, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who are currently running the Mavs’ front office as co-interim general managers, have been empowered to lead conversations about the team’s future, says Charania. Both Finley and Riccardi are expected to be candidates to keep the GM job on a permanent basis when the club conducts a full-fledged search after the season, sources tell ESPN.

Here are a few more items of interest from Charania’s latest ‘Inside Pass’ article for ESPN.com:

The Pacers are engaged in trade talks in the hopes of finding a long-term answer at the center position, Charania reports. The team has been deploying Isaiah Jackson, Jay Huff, and Tony Bradley in the middle so far this season in the wake of Myles Turner‘s departure in free agency.
While there has been some trade speculation centered around Trae Young this fall, the Hawks believe the star point guard will “elevate” the team once he returns from a sprained MCL that has kept him on the shelf since late October, according to Charania, who hears from sources that Young is optimistic about returning to action later this month.
The Nets are still the only NBA team with cap room and continue to have trade discussions about how they might use that remaining room to take on salary along with additional assets, sources tell ESPN. Charania adds that Brooklyn may end up working with Cam Thomas‘ representatives to find a trade destination that works for the fifth-year guard, who has an implicit no-trade clause after accepting his one-year qualifying offer in September.
Charania confirms that the Warriors will explore trades involving Jonathan Kuminga, who is eligible to be moved as of January 15, and that the Kings are being “open-minded” about possible deals involving most players on their roster, with Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Keon Ellis among the potential targets being monitored by rivals.

Mavericks Notes: Davis, Nembhard, Thompson, Gafford, Lively

December 6th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis and his Mavericks teammates were eager to move on to the next game following Friday’s 21-point loss at Oklahoma City, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Davis missed his first eight shots from the field and was held to two points by one of the NBA’s elite defenses. His only points came with 8:08 left in the fourth quarter, shortly before he checked out of the game for good.

“I hold myself accountable for the play,” Davis said. “When I catch the ball, (they) have guys loaded up … there’s not much room to operate. But we don’t have time to dwell on it.”

As Christian Clark of the Athletic describes, the Thunder used Jaylin Williams as the primary defender on Davis, with Chet Holmgren lurking to provide help. That combination prevented Davis from getting many good looks at the basket.

“That was their game plan,” Davis said. “That’s most teams’ game plan. When I catch the ball, have guys loaded up. Specifically, when I have it in the post. … And they didn’t have Chet on me. Chet was kind of the help on the baseline.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Ryan Nembhard continued to be impressive despite the lopsided loss, Afseth states in a separate story. Coach Jason Kidd said the rookie point guard, who made 4-of-8 shots from the floor and committed just one turnover, held up well under heavy pressure from OKC’s defense. “I thought he did great,” Kidd said. “Being able to find his teammates. … I thought he did a good job of getting guys shots. I thought he attacked.”
Klay Thompson will miss Saturday’s game against Houston with left knee soreness, while Daniel Gafford is out due to right ankle injury management, Afseth relays in another piece. P.J. Washington, who was a game-time decision because of a sprained right ankle, has been cleared to play (Twitter link).
As the team previously announced, center Dereck Lively II will seek additional medical opinions on the cause of the swelling and soreness in his right foot. Lively has only been available for seven games this season and hasn’t played since November 21. “For a 21-year-old, it’s tough,” Kidd told reporters, per Afseth. “He wants to play. Unfortunately, he can’t play right now. So hopefully as he goes through this process of finding other opinions on what he should do, it brings resolve and he can get back to playing because we miss him. He misses playing.”

Mavs Notes: Nembhard, Davis, Marshall, Thompson

December 2nd, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Rookie guard Ryan Nembhard, who is on a two-way contract with the Mavericks, submitted a historic performance on Monday in an upset win over the Nuggets in Denver. Appearing in just his ninth NBA game, Nembhard racked up 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting and handed out 10 assists without turning the ball over once.

According to the Mavs (Twitter link), Nembhard is the first undrafted rookie in the modern era (dating back to 1967) to have at least 25 points and 10 assists in a game without committing a turnover. He’s also the first rookie of any kind to post that stat line since Stephon Marbury did it in 1996.

“He kind of took over the game,” head coach Jason Kidd said of Nembhard, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “He’s been great since we put him in the starting lineup. Being able to find guys. Also his shot. To have 28 and 10, he controlled the game. The ball touches the paint and he finds Max Christie in the corner for a big three. He took what the defense had. He was really good tonight.”

After making just five brief appearances in Dallas’ first 18 games, Nembhard has appeared in each of the last four, starting three times and averaging 24.0 minutes per night. As a starter, he’s averaging 17.7 points and 5.7 assists per contest and has made 9-of-15 three-pointers (60.0%).

Here’s more on the Mavs:

As good as Nembhard was on Monday, it was Anthony Davis who led the team in scoring, with 32 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a calf strain. Davis, who on a minutes restriction in his return on Friday, exceeded 32 minutes on Monday despite battling the mile-high elevation in Denver. “I was tired for sure, but it’s mental,” he said after the win, according to Afseth. “Trying to push through the fatigue and physically and mentally lock in.”
Although the Mavericks struggled during the second half of last season and the first several weeks of this season, forward Naji Marshall has no regrets about signing with the team as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. Speaking to Mark Medina of Essentially Sports, Marshall referred to Dallas as a “beautiful city” and said he loves both his teammates and the Mavs’ coaching staff. “(Kidd) has helped my game in a tremendous way,” Marshall said of his head coach. “He showed me things on and off the court with his experience as being a Hall-of-Fame point guard. The coaching staff that he surrounds himself with are also great dudes. They know the game. So learning from them has been a plus.”
Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson got off to a brutal start this fall, averaging 7.4 points per game and making 26.7% of his three-pointers in his first 10 outings. In his last 11, he has looked more like himself, scoring 14.5 PPG and hitting 40.6% of his outside shots. “It felt like a relief,” Thompson said after scoring a season-high 23 points and making six three-pointers on Saturday, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I haven’t shot the ball well in these first 20 games or at least to my standard. When you have a night like that, after the tough start we’ve had. It just gives you relief to keep going and it really inspires me to be out there as much as I can.” Thompson was initially expected to miss Saturday’s game due to left knee stiffness, but managed to play through it.

Southwest Notes: Flagg, Washington, Morant, Vassell

November 30th, 2025 at 2:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Cooper Flagg made history for the Mavericks on back-to-back nights, writes Tim MacMahon for ESPN.

One day after becoming the youngest player to record 10 or more assists in a game, Flagg became the youngest player to score 35 points in a game, sneaking the record in five days earlier than LeBron James accomplished the same feat in 2003. Most importantly, Flagg’s 35 points came in a win, which have been few and far between for a struggling Mavericks team this fall.

“He’s only 18 years old, but he seems like he’s been in this league before,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You can call it point guard or whatever, but he ran the offense for us. He drove the ball. The ball touched the paint. He got to the rim, got to the free throw line, stepped up and made free throws for us late.”

Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who had one of his best games of the season in the win, spoke highly of Flagg following Saturday’s game.

“Cooper’s upside is limitless,” Thompson said. “He has every tool to be great. Sometimes I can’t believe he should be a freshman in college.”

Thompson also threw out a lofty comparison to his situation in relation to Flagg, according to The Athletic’s Christian Clark, making reference to the Lakers in the first year of Kobe Bryant’s career.

“I feel like [Byron Scott] sometimes,” Thompson said. “The old, wise veteran. The future of the franchise to my side. It’s pretty cool to be a part of it. To be witnesses to what he’s going to do for a long time.”

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington was a late scratch on Saturday due to a right ankle sprain suffered when he slipped on a ball during warmups, Mike Curtis writes for the Dallas Morning News. Washington, who was still active for the game, was initially listed as questionable to return, but was ruled out around the end of the first quarter. His status for Dallas’ upcoming three-game road trip is unclear.
Ja Morant will be reevaluated next week once the Grizzlies return to Memphis on Tuesday following their four-game road trip, tweets Michael Wallace of Grind City Media. This update is in line with the timeline announced for Morant when he initially was diagnosed with the calf strain. Wallace notes that the point guard is currently engaged in light on-court warmup work.
Devin Vassell has been on a tear of late, scoring more points in the Spurs‘ past two games than in any other two-game stretch of his career, writes Jeff McDonald for the San Antonio Express-News. That run included a 35-point explosion in a win against the Nuggets on Friday night, in which his teammates were well aware of the zone he was in. “[Keldon Johnson] told me in the last two minutes if the ball comes to me, don’t think,” Vassell said. “Just be aggressive and shoot.” As impressive as Vassell’s scoring was, head coach Mitch Johnson was happy to see the intensity the 25-year-old brought on the defensive end of the court. “He’s becoming a winning player,” Johnson said. “We’ve got our arm around him and our foot up his backside to continue to do it. He’s a difference maker when he does that.”

Klay Thompson, Ja Morant Exchange Words Following Grizzlies’ Win

November 23rd, 2025 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Star point guard Ja Morant missed his third straight game on Saturday due to a calf strain, but he was at the center of a post-game incident in Dallas after his Grizzlies beat the Mavericks. As Tim MacMahon writes for ESPN.com, Morant and Mavs wing Klay Thompson exchanged words on the court following the final buzzer and had to be separated by security staff members and coaches (Twitter video link).

After seemingly directing some trash talk Thompson’s way during that confrontation, Morant interrupted teammate Cam Spencer‘s post-game television interview to say, “Tell ’em who the best shooter in the house was, it wasn’t bro from Golden State” (Twitter video link).

Asked during his post-game media session about what Morant was saying to him on the court, Thompson told MacMahon and other reporters it was “nothing of intelligent depth,” per MacMahon.

“He’s a funny guy,” Thompson said. “He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability. … It was really just running his mouth, and he’s been running his mouth for a long time. It’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s kind of the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more.”

Both Morant and Thompson are having the worst years of their professional careers so far in 2025/26. The Grizzlies guard is averaging 17.9 points and a career-high 3.8 turnovers per game while shooting 35.9% from the floor and 16.7% on three-pointers. Thompson has put up 10.1 PPG on 34.7% shooting (32.1% from beyond the arc).

Thompson, who will turn 36 later in the season, has a Hall of Fame résumé but has seen his numbers decline in recent years. Morant, 26, should be in his prime, but has been plagued by injuries over the past couple seasons. He also had his career derailed by off-court incidents, including a pair of lengthy suspensions that stemmed from brandishing a firearm in videos on social media. Thompson didn’t directly reference that off-court behavior on Saturday, but he alluded to it.

“We all want to see him out there and do his best, but he’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that,” Thompson said of Morant. “We need that in the NBA. We need our best players to be out there, and when you’re a star, it comes with a great responsibility. I hate to see that go to waste.”

Thompson’s Warriors had some memorable games against the Grizzlies over the years, eliminating Memphis from the playoffs in both 2015 and 2022. The veteran sharpshooter spoke with more fondness of those matchups that occurred earlier in his career than the ones from the past few seasons.

“I do actually have a lot of respect for the Grind House,” Thompson said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol. That was a hard team to beat. This new team, though? They just talk a lot. They’ve always talked a lot. They’ve never really backed it up, either. I don’t really respect that. I respect guys who back up the talk with play. Because talk is cheap. I know that better than anybody. I have been in this league a long time.”

Mavs Notes: AD, Kyrie, Flagg, Cisse, Williams, Thompson

November 17th, 2025 at 7:09pm CST by Rory Maher

ESPN insiders Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton, Zach Kram and Jeremy Woo take a look at some important decisions the Mavericks will face in the coming months, including whether they should trade Anthony Davis — and what they might be able to get for him.

“While you can point to Davis as a top-20 player in Los Angeles, it is a $175 million gamble and perhaps more, if you trade for him,” a Western Conference executive told Marks. “I would want to see a long stretch of games of Davis healthy before there could ever be a discussion.

“The extension and paying a player in their mid-30s an average of $69 million and the last nine months in Dallas is what scares me. In this current CBA, you cannot afford to have a player earning 35% of the salary cap on the sidelines more than on the court.”

As Marks writes, while rival teams would undoubtedly take on risk if they pursued Davis, given his contract situation (he’s in the first season of a three-year, $175MM deal and will be eligible for a massive new extension in the offseason) and lengthy injury history (he’s currently sidelined with a calf strain), the star big man would still receive interest if he’s put on the market.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Appearing on NBA Today on Monday (Twitter video link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape and ESPN provided an injury update on star guard Kyrie Irving. “Kyrie’s looking good, he’s ahead of schedule. He’s working out with the purpose of playing this season,” Spears said. “… I think, optimistic-wise, probably around late January, All-Star break (for a potential return). Someone close to (Irving) told me if it was the playoffs he could play right now. … But the problem is, who’s running the show? What’s their record going to be? Will Anthony Davis be back? I think by the time he’s able to potentially come back in late January, there’s going to be a collective decision — from him, from the team, from everybody that’s close to him — on whether it’s worth it for (Irving) to come back. But I hear he wants to be back.”
Top pick Cooper Flagg was held to just two points in the first half on Sunday against Portland and was “visibly irritated” by the way the game was going for him, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. The 18-year-old rookie credited Daniel Gafford for changing his mindset — Flagg scored 19 points in the second half and helped lead the Mavs to their fourth victory. “He was frustrated at halftime,” Gafford said. “I told him to slow down — it’ll come to him. The game finds you.”
With six players (Twitter link via Afseth) — including big men Davis, Gafford (right ankle injury management) and Dereck Lively II (right knee injury management) out on Monday for the second game of a back-to-back, center Moussa Cisse received his first career start, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The 6’10” rookie, who is on a two-way contract, has been a bright spot for Dallas amid a disappointing start to the season, averaging 4.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 10.8 minutes per game through 10 appearances.
In a pair of stories for DallasHoopsJournal.com, Afseth takes a look at how Brandon Williams‘ speed has created advantages for the Mavericks’ offense and how the attention Klay Thompson attracted on Sunday (he tied a season-high with 19 points) led to easy scoring opportunities for teammates. “Brandon Williams has been incredible,” Flagg said. “High energy, so quick, uses his speed to get downhill and find guys. Our chemistry in the two-man game late in games has been really good.”

Mavs Notes: Thompson, Flagg, Davis, Lively, Gafford

November 6th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Maher

He says it “isn’t a permanent thing,” but Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd moved struggling wing Klay Thompson to the bench ahead of Wednesday’s game against New Orleans, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

“I don’t mind,” Thompson said of not starting. “I’m going to play. I’m gonna do great things. That’s coming. I know it is.”

As Townsend observes, Thompson had started every game with Dallas prior to Wednesday. However, he’s off to a very slow start to the season, and Kidd decided to shake things up with the team’s offense struggling to manufacture points.

Thompson, 35, is confident he’ll turn things around soon — he finished with 11 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), four rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes in the two-point loss to the Pelicans.

“I’m feeling like those first five games were hard for me to get my wind and get my legs under me,” he said, per Townsend. “Now I’m finally feeling like myself again. And you just know as a shooter, when that ball is just effortlessly flicking off your wrist. You know big things are coming.”

Here’s more on the Mavs, who are now 2-6:

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg was announced as a forward for the first time on Wednesday with D’Angelo Russell replacing Thompson in the starting lineup, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Flagg finished with 20 points (on 8-of-19 shooting), nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 35 minutes, but missed a potential game-tying shot in the closing seconds, Koreen notes. “For me it’s the most I’ve lost since, I think, ever,” The 18-year-old said after the game.
Kidd provided updates on injured big men Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Dereck Lively (right knee sprain) on Wednesday, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (Twitter video link). According to Kidd, Davis is “feeling better” and is considered day-to-day, while the team is hopeful that Lively, who is doing on-court work, might be able to return next week. Davis has missed three straight games; Lively has missed five.
Center Daniel Gafford had a solid outing on Wednesday, recording 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. However, Kidd indicated before the game (Twitter link via Afseth) that the former second-round pick is still on a minutes restriction — Gafford wound up playing just under 25 minutes.

Mavs Notes: Flagg, Starting Five, Russell, Gafford

October 24th, 2025 at 7:53am CST by Luke Adams

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.]

Southwest Notes: Castle, Eisley, Thompson, Rockets Preseason, China

October 13th, 2025 at 2:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Last season’s Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, will make his preseason debut on Monday, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News reports.

Castle missed the Spurs‘ first three preseason contests with a right knee contusion. He suffered the injury during the team’s Oct. 4 Silver & Black scrimmage after banging knees with Victor Wembanyama.

With De’Aaron Fox expected to be sidelined at the beginning of the regular season, Castle is projected to be the Spurs’ opening-night starter at point guard.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks have hired Howard Eisley as a scout, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Eisley was an assistant for Michigan under previous head coach Juwan Howard. He has also been an assistant coach with the Knicks, Wizards and Clippers.
Klay Thompson was assigned to guard Hornets point man LaMelo Ball during a preseason game, but Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd indicated the team can’t expect the 35-year-old wing to take on those matchups on a regular basis. “Melo’s a little different because he can score and pass,” Kidd said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “But we thought looking at that (Saturday) was something we needed to see. Making it tough on Melo isn’t easy — he’s gonna have the ball 90% of the time. But I thought Klay did a good job. He can still compete at that level at this stage of his career. We’re not going to ask him to do it every night, but (Saturday) he showed he can compete.”
The Rockets wrap up their preseason schedule with games on Tuesday and Thursday this week. Playing time and rotations in the next two games will be more reflective of what they want to implement in the regular season, according to Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle. Starters will have their minutes increased to the mid-20s and 30-range, and the team will utilize more sophisticated schemes.
The Mavericks and Rockets will play a preseason game in China next year, Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Mavs governor Patrick Dumont confirmed via the South China Morning Post that Dallas will participate in next season’s NBA China Games. “Yes, the Mavericks and the Rockets, here in Macau next year. Are you ready?” Dumont said.

Mavs Notes: Flagg, Starting Five, Russell, DSJ

October 7th, 2025 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg showed off his versatility in his preseason pro debut on Monday, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The Mavericks forward scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds, and handed out three assists in just 14 minutes of action, taking on some point guard responsibilities against the defending champion Thunder.

As MacMahon notes, Flagg also showed off his defensive ability early in the first quarter when he stepped in from the weak side to block a Isaiah Joe layup attempt, which led to a fast-break basket for Dallas.

“You got to see the defensive side, you got to see the play-making and then the scoring,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “He was really, really good.”

While Flagg’s scoring and play-making may generate more highlights during his rookie season, the Mavericks are bullish on what he can do defensively, with Anthony Davis suggesting during training camp that his new frontcourt partner can “defend one through five,” as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays.

“We’re going to put him in situations where you have to guard maybe the best wing — have to guard (Kevin) Durant or Jimmy Butler or these guys,” Davis said of Flagg. “And we have enough confidence in him to go out and send him out there and be able to guard those guys. But he’s also got help on the back line with the other four guys on the floor.”

We have more on the Mavs:

As Christian Clark of The Athletic details, the starting lineup that Kidd used on Monday – Flagg, Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II – seems likely to be the one the team will deploy when the regular season begins. That means forward P.J. Washington, who started 56 of his 57 games last season, figures to come off the bench as long as the rest of the frontcourt is healthy and available.
Russell made a strong impression in training camp, earning kudos from Kidd for fitting in quickly and being willing to speak up and use his voice despite being a Mavs newcomer, as Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The Mavs’ head coach had more praise for the point guard following a preseason opener in which he scored five points and distributed a team-high five assists in 15 minutes of action. “I thought he did a great job finding guys,” Kidd said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thought his defense was really good. Oklahoma City puts a lot of pressure on you on the one-on-ones and I thought he did a really good job defensively … I thought D-Lo did a really good job.”
Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t play in Monday’s game, but Kidd appreciated the intensity the veteran guard brought to training camp, according to Afseth at RG.org. Smith, who is with the team on a non-guaranteed contract, says he appreciates the opportunity to compete for a roster spot in Dallas. “I’ve got to come out and put my best foot forward every day,” he said. “If that happens to be what the team needs, that makes it even better — and it is. So I’m in a good spot.”

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