Grizzlies get first taste of Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg

The Memphis Grizzlies are hoping to bounce back as they take Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks.

To learn more about Flagg and the Mavs, we spoke with Dallas Mavericks On SI contributor Austin Veazey.

How has Cooper Flagg been to start the season for the Mavs?

He's been... fine? Jason Kidd tried rolling him out at point guard to start the season, which was leading to poor results for the entire offense, but specifically Flagg. He just isn't a point guard. He may have good playmaking instincts, but he's best as a secondary playmaker. It's no surprise that he then turned in arguably his best performance on Wednesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, because Kidd didn't start him at point guard.

The team has struggled on offense. How much do they miss Kyrie Irving?

The question isn't how much they miss Kyrie Irving, it's how much do they miss Luka Doncic. And it's a lot. Even Kyrie Irving has been at his best in his career when he has a better playmaker on the roster, and he can do what he does best: score. Even if Irving were here, there's no guarantee this would even be a league-average offense, because the offense has no spacing as it's designed right now.

Would the Mavs be a team to look out for if Ja Morant were to request a trade?

I kind of doubt it, unless they were to move Irving as well. Doncic and Irving worked so well together because Doncic was a bigger body and could guard other teams' power forwards. A backcourt of Morant and Irving probably wouldn't work well, but that wouldn't stop Nico Harrison from trying something crazy.

What’s the biggest key to victory for the Mavs against the Grizzlies?

Maybe not being the worst offense in the NBA? Just an idea. But how they go about doing that is beyond me. This team just lacks the natural playmakers and shooters to survive in this era of the NBA.

What’s your prediction for the game?

The vibes around both of these teams are horrendous right now. Between the Ja Morant suspension, Anthony Davis' calf strain, and the Mavs losing to teams such as the Pelicans and Wizards, I think most Mavs fans want a close loss with Cooper Flagg developing so it gets one step closer to firing Nico Harrison.

How has Cooper Flagg been to start the season for the Mavs?

The team has struggled on offense. How much do they miss Kyrie Irving?

Would the Mavs be a team to look out for if Ja Morant were to request a trade?

What’s the biggest key to victory for the Mavs against the Grizzlies?

What’s your prediction for the game?

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