In just a short time, the Dallas Mavericks have had to make two massive pivots. In February, the Mavericks traded franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in an effort to build around Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. Then, in May, they won the NBA Draft Lottery, securing the rights to Cooper Flagg and severaly altering their competitive timeline.
On paper, surrounding Flagg with veterans like Davis, Irving, and Klay Thompson seems like an easy way to acclimate him to the NBA and play competitive ball right away.
However, not everyone is convinced that he will tap into his full potential on the Mavericks.
Getty Cooper Flagg of the Dallas Mavericks speaks to the media after being drafted first overall during the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 25, 2025.
Dallas Mavericks Lack ‘Clear Identity’
In an effort to justify the trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers, general manager Nico Harrison promised fans that he had immediately opened up a title window. Injuries to Davis and Irving quickly made that impossible, and the Mavericks missed the playoffs after winning the Conference Finals the year before.
Heading into this season, Dallas has to juggle two truths: first, Davis alone makes them a competitive team. Second, and more importantly, they lucked into a generational talent in Flagg.
Developing an elite player and competing for a Finals spot don’t really go hand-in-hand, and one expert is worried that they will be unable to commit to either reality.
“I wish he were on a team where they had a clear identity, and this team does not,” said Yahoo’s! Kevin O’Connor on September 21st. “And that’s just disappointing to me, for a guy who is an unbelievable young player and an unbelievable prospect.”
Dallas is expected to trot out a lineup of Flagg, Davis, Thompson, PJ Washington, and Irving or D’Angelo Russell. With solid depth pieces behind them, they should be one of the better teams in a loaded Western Conference, although developing Flagg might not be the priority it should be.
Cooper Flagg Is the Exception, Not the Rule
Worry not, Mavericks fans!
Most rookies, even top picks, take a while to learn the ropes and get to develop on a bad team with less pressure in their first few seasons. As Dallas vies for a title, Flagg won’t have that luxury, although that might not be a bad thing.
Flagg was touted as a “more complete” player than Victor Wembanyama, and his ranging skillset and high-level defense suggest that he can thrive even on a good team, like Dallas projects to be.
Keep in mind, he led the Duke Blue Devils to the Final Four last season despite being 17 years old when the season started. He was the youngest player in the draft class. Playing up a level is nothing new to him, so if the Mavericks are in a position to win games, the expectation is that Flagg will rise to the occasion.
Unlike most rookies, he is slated to thrive on a team with a winning mentality, and he should be able to make the most of it.
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