The Dallas Mavericks may have a budding star in rookie Cooper Flagg, but head coach Jason Kidd isn’t ready to name him the starting point guard just yet.
Despite Flagg’s impressive preseason performance, Kidd remains cautious about locking in his role ahead of the regular season opener.
Following the Mavericks’ dominant 121-94 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in their preseason finale, Kidd had high praise for the No. 1 overall pick, while stopping short of confirming Flagg’s position in the starting lineup.
“He’s done an incredible job of handling the situation of running the team,” Kidd told reporters. “He’s got to keep an index of who got shots, what was the last shot, and that’ll come with reps. The other thing that’s going unnoticed is how much his teammates enjoy him running the team.”
Flagg, who started the final two preseason games at point guard, had previously played at forward in his first two outings.
In those early matchups, against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets, veteran guard D’Angelo Russell managed primary ball-handling duties. But Kidd has clearly been intrigued by Flagg’s versatility and leadership qualities, noting they go well beyond his years.
A bold experiment in the backcourt
The decision to test Flagg at point guard wasn’t spontaneous. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Kidd began considering the unconventional move after studying Flagg’s game tape from Duke.
What he saw reminded him of NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, a forward with the poise and skill to effectively lead an offense. Like Hill, Flagg possesses strong ball-handling, court vision, and the size to cause matchup problems.
Over four preseason games, Flagg averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in just under 22 minutes per game. More importantly, he looked comfortable managing tempo, initiating offense, and making smart decisions – all essential qualities for a modern NBA point guard.
The Mavericks’ backcourt situation adds complexity to the decision. Russell was signed in free agency as a temporary solution at point guard, while Kyrie Irving continues to recover from a torn ACL. Russell is a proven contributor who can start or come off the bench, but Flagg’s emergence could accelerate the team’s long-term plans.
If Flagg does win the job, he’ll likely be the smallest starter in a lineup that includes P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II.
The overall size and defensive ability of that unit could allow Dallas to be creative with matchups and rotations, especially if Flagg can consistently run the offense.
With the regular season tipping off against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22, Kidd has only a few days left to finalize the rotation. Whether or not Flagg starts, his development is clearly one of the Mavericks’ biggest storylines to watch this season.
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