Mavericks don't know what to do with Cooper Flagg, and that's okay

Cooper Flagg is going into his first season with the Dallas Mavericks facing a lot of uncertainty.

Oct 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during a break in the second half of a game against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are entering a unique situation going into the 2025-26 campaign.

They are a little over a year removed from the NBA Finals, but they are adding a potential budding superstar to the mix with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley thinks Flagg could find himself with an opportunity to take the league by storm early in his career.

"While winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes gave the Mavericks a safety net to swiftly recover from the Luka Dončić deal, the top pick is walking into an interesting situation. Dallas boasts a deep, talented roster, but it has a funky feel to it," Buckley wrote.

"Having a healthy Kyrie Irving might give it a more cohesive construction, but since he's still nursing a torn ACL, that won't immediately help Flagg figure things out. And, yes, it sure sounds like he'll be the one tasked with sorting out all of the (mostly jumbo-sized) puzzle pieces with point guard duties already on his to-do list.

"The 18-year-old is an instinctive passer with advanced awareness, but he's not some dizzying dribbler or the kind of quarterback (right now) who can serve as a primary playmaker. Then again, if D'Angelo Russell gets a little too shot-happy or defensively indifferent in his minutes, the Mavs may not have alternatives until Irving gets back."

READ MORE: Former NBA executive begs Mavericks to make midseason trade

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg shoots the ball during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers. | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

Mavericks find themselves in tough spot

Flagg's spot with the Mavs is more of a "wait-and-see" kind of deal. They are going to put him in a bunch of different spots to see where he sticks.

Eventually, Flagg will become a No. 1 option, but while he is teammates with future Hall-of-Famers in Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, the Mavs will try to put him in a bunch of different spots to see where he best fits with the team now as it fights for a spot back in the playoffs.

Flagg is a great player already, so he shouldn't have much difficulty finding his way and adapting to the league. His versatility gives the Mavs a shot to be competitive once again despite having the No. 1 overall pick this past offseason.

READ MORE: Undrafted free agent already pushing for playing time on Mavericks

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