Dallas Mavericks have changes to make alongside Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks are expected to build their future around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg starting in the 2025-26 season. Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley projects Flagg will start alongside D'Angelo Russell, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.

Buckley notes that while the Mavericks miss Kyrie Irving due to injury, this lineup is intriguing primarily because of Flagg. He highlights Flagg's potential as an elite defender and competitor immediately, with a scoring arsenal that appeared advanced during his time at Duke. Buckley emphasizes that the Davis-Lively frontcourt pairing could be one of the league's best defensive duos, provided they stay healthy.

However, Buckley identifies a significant defensive concern with the Russell-Thompson backcourt, which he suggests could be "among the league's leakiest." He speculates that these defensive issues might lead coach Jason Kidd to consider alternatives like Max Christie or PJ Washington, but acknowledges Russell and Thompson's shooting ability might secure their starting spots due to spacing needs from the frontline.

For now, Flagg will play small forward while Davis and Lively are on the roster, though he may project better as a power forward long-term. Determining the optimal player combinations around Flagg to maximize his value will be a key task for Coach Kidd and his staff, and building the team around Flagg is described as a long-term process.