The Dallas Mavericks haven’t had the start to the season that they wanted or anyone expected. But with the shadow of Nico Harrison’s decision-making now gone, they have officially entered a new era, led by Cooper Flagg.
The top rookie has experienced some ups and downs to begin his career in Dallas, but overall, he has been a bright spot for a franchise marred by injuries and the lasting impacts of the Luka Doncic trade for Anthony Davis.
However, while Flagg has been putting up the best performances of his early career recently, the latest update on the former Duke star doesn’t bode well for the Mavericks’ upcoming game against the New York Knicks.
“Flagg (illness) is questionable for Wednesday against the Knicks,” CBS Sports staff wrote. “Flagg was a late addition to the injury report, presumably after waking up under the weather. The Mavericks are already very thin, but they are expected to get Daniel Gafford (ankle) and Dereck Lively (knee) back Wednesday.”
Flagg is now one of eight players officially listed on the Mavericks’ injury report. Through 15 games, the team has a lowly 4-11 record, with Flagg, Max Christie, D’Angelo Russell, and Naji Marshall as the only players so far this season yet to miss a game.
Cooper Flagg’s Rookie Season Start
As mentioned, Flagg has yet to miss a game for Dallas this season. Despite being a rookie, he leads the team in average minutes and total points, while ranking third in team rebounds and assists. He was thrust into a point guard role with Kyrie Irving out and Russell’s early-season inconsistencies, but despite the tall task of running the offense, he has shown some promise.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd had previously stated his plans to keep Flagg at the point guard position, but more recently, he had a change of heart.
“Being a point guard comes with a lot of responsibility,” Kidd said recently. “I don’t know if I was ready for that right away.”
Over the past week, the rookie has been slotted into what is likely a better fit in the small forward position. Though he still holds a decent-sized role helping jumpstart the offense, Flagg taking a more off-ball role has seemingly been beneficial.
Since Kidd changed his stance on where to play his top rookie, Flagg has now put in five straight games of at least 15 points on 55% shooting, a jump from his average over the first few weeks of the season.
Flagg appears to still be finding his role on this second-rate Mavericks team, but as seen with other top draft picks, the expectations of immediate success are often proven mistaken.
Mavericks Have More Questions Than Answers
Despite some of his own minor inconsistencies, Flagg has been one of the brightest spots for the 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks. So far, they have been one of the most unhealthy teams in the league, and for now, they show no signs of changing that trend.
Davis has only played five games so far this year. He underwent offseason eye surgery and is now forced to wear protective eyewear for the rest of his career, but so far, it’s been a lingering calf injury that’s kept him out. After last playing in an October 29th game against the Indiana Pacers, the latest Davis update points to his return not coming until early December.
While revisionist history could point to the fact that Davis’s missing time is nothing new (and the trade for him should have signaled that), he hasn’t been the only main contributor who hasn’t lived up to the hype.
So far this season, Klay Thompson is averaging career lows in minutes, points, and shooting percentage. He’s only started in seven games, and has taken a backseat to the younger players after what has been the least impactful season of his NBA tenure.
Injury-wise, it’s been the same story with Gafford and Lively, each of whom has missed major time so far this year. Besides not consistently having two of the league’s most athletic big men, Dallas doesn’t have any solid replacements, and that will likely continue to be the case as the year goes on.
A 4-11 record doesn’t bode well, but with Harrison now out, they can fully enter their Flagg era. But so far, it’s been marred by inconsistencies and injuries, a surefire sign of a team destined for the draft lottery.
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