MAVS NEWS:

[cow]

Flagg is one of the rare youngsters I actually follow before they get to the league. I have no love for college basketball, in general, but in his case I've been following him a little since high school, and I REALLY got interested after watching him hold his own (understatement) against the olympic team. 

I agree he won't be as offensively polished as Luka right away, and frankly, he might never be as polished on that end, but I think his offense is likely to be better than Luka's DEFENSE almost right away, so in a well-rounded way, I actually hold out some hope for him making a winning impact out of the gate. And, it's important to remember that there is a LOT of talent on this team right now. This is nothing like the team that drafted Luka. Yeah, AD and Kyrie are old and on the tail end of everything, but just as a thought process, in two years both will still be younger than KD is NOW. It's not insane to imagine Cooper Flagg being a top 10, top 5 guy by then, is it? 

Plus, everyone not named Davis, Irving or Thompson on this roster IS pretty young still, and it's plausible than any of them could be here long enough to get Flagg and the Mavs past the draft capital waste years, I think. 

Speaking of draft capital, I find myself in rare agreement with Skin about that. What little they CAN trade now I'd have no issues moving with the goal of being good, personally. The only truly potentially valuable piece of draft capital they have is that future Lakers pick, and I'd try to hold onto THAT, but everything else...swaps, draft night deals, etc, between now and the days they can control their destiny again? I say go for it.

I have a co-worker who was a high level college basketball athlete as well as her husband and, unsurprisingly, their gaggle of children.  She keeps up with the college ranks so I asked her about Cooper and she simply said he needs time.  I trust her opinion.  I don't think he'll ever reach the heights of Luka's offensive skill because his feel for the game can't be taught, but that's not a knock.  And like you mentioned, his defense is already leagues ahead of Luka's.  It also seems common opinion is his work ethic and motor are probably his most elite skillsets which is a nice change of pace.  I just want the organization to do right by this kid as it was hard to watch us stumble with the end of Dirk's peak/later years and the continual tripping over our own dicks with Luka.

[KillerLeft]

I just want the organization to do right by this kid

You and me both!

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Plus, everyone not named Davis, Irving or Thompson on this roster IS pretty young still, and it's plausible than any of them could be here long enough to get Flagg and the Mavs past the draft capital waste years, I think. 

I think this is very much the case.  Outside of 2027, everything else from 2028-2030 is either a swap or in 2029, the Lakers pick.  With Flagg around, there's a good chance the swaps don't even convey and the Lakers pick is better than what ours would have been in 2029 and a very high chance that at the very least, those swaps are only the difference between a handful of picks and not us dropping from like 4 to 28 which felt like what we were staring at (although heavily dependent on what is left on this roster after AD and Kyrie's next contract are up).

At that point we'll be working on trading late 2030's picks to build a new core around Flagg who will be turning 23 at the end of our draft capital waste years....which is still just mind boggling to me.  That is the era I'm most excited about, worried that this roster is too banged up all the time to get things across the finish line but we'll have another shot at the pig later on.  I'd personally like to punt on this Kyrie/AD era for that very reason so that we have a ton of flexibility to build around Flagg's timeline but because he like...just got his driver's license, his timeline feels so incredibly long that a million things could happen.

[BigDirk41]

I missed this post when you made it, sorry - there's actually activity here today, so I'm rusty. 

I agree, but the question is: how long is the process of "becomes?"

Some people want them to do a tear down and build completely around Flagg right away. I don't think they will, and given the draft capital situation, I don't think they should, but I understand the logic because he's that type of talent, so not messing up the opportunity should be the primary goal. 

Some people want them to maintain the mission of winning now and sort of use Flagg in whatever way accommodates that mission most, which, in theory, might stunt his growth, though I think the chances of that are fairly low. 

Is the best compromise between the two approaches to try to win now WITH Flagg in the driver seat? And, is it possible he'll be good enough soon enough for that to work?

I see Cooper Flagg as prime Grant Hill out of the gate. I think he's going to surprise everyone that doesn't believe he's ready for this. I think they will try to win with him now. Is that the right move? I don't know. Time will tell. Either way, at least the Mavs have life again.

[JamesConway912]

- Kyrie tore his ACL less than three months ago
- Klay will be a year older 
- Davis‘ (+ Livelys’) injury history is well documented

The last thing this organization should do right now is trade away additional 1st round draft capital. There is a pretty decent chance this team wont see another 1st round playoff series for a few years. I‘m as excited about Flagg as the next guy but Luka has obscenely moved expectations for young lottery rookie scale players. By reading some comments I  cant shake the feeling that plenty around here have already forgotten or are playing down how insanely good and special Luka was from day 1y. He was essentially an allstar caliber player right out the gate and then an 1st team all nba from his second year on counting. Even if Flagg becomes another superstar it will probably take him a few years to do so.

I can get on board with smallish moves to keep things afloat like bringing in a veteran PG (yes to CP3 but Tyus Jones would also be high on my FA list) but I‘m not breaking the bank for a team that‘s essentially one AD injury away from being Flagg and a bunch of role players. Luka may have dragged a group like that into the postseason by default but that‘s too much to ask from a 18 year old college freshman entering the league. If AD goes down we‘ll be VERY happy that at least in 2026 there is still a safety net in place with our own 1st round draft pick.

Then you still got the whole Nico Harrison mess to fix. He is still public enemy nr 1 in Dallas, the organization should first get rid of him, find a competent replacement and then implement a clear strategy for the Flagg-era.

[JamesConway912]

I see Cooper Flagg as prime Grant Hill out of the gate. I think he's going to surprise everyone that doesn't believe he's ready for this. I think they will try to win with him now. Is that the right move? I don't know. Time will tell. Either way, at least the Mavs have life again.

I think Flagg’s rookie campaign will be close to Cade Cunningham‘s in Detroit. Good raw numbers, visible talent, a stud in the making, but the level of play in the NBA is so, so much higher than NCAA ball that there will be plenty of growing pains. He never played pro, never won an Euroleague MVP, never lead a team with proven NBA players like Dragic to a FIBA title before entering the NBA. Luka did all that, won ROY (and iirc even made the allstar game immediately) but the Mavs still missed the playoffs in his first year.

With Kyrie out our oncourt fallback option right now is Davis. Weve seen him miss the playoffs countless times in that role when he was in his physical prime and he‘s already been injured a bunch since coming here. That wont change so there really isnt nearly as high of a floor as it was in the Luka era.

Personally Id try to slowly move on from the current roster. Trade Klay & Gafford in the summer for assets, but bring in a veteran PG in FA, extend Kyrie and then see how far AD can drag this team. There is a decent chance you will land another top 10 draft pick in 2026 organically given how deep the western conference & how unreliable Davis is.

[KillerLeft]

The last thing this organization should do right now is trade away additional 1st round draft capital. 

Here's my counter to this thinking:

1) With the exception of that Lakers pick, which I would try to keep, personally, none of the draft capital they have available to move is worth very much. It's "add on" capital, not "the point of the deal" capital, but might be helpful in attaching to their salaries (most of which are attached to good players) in order to reshape the roster. 

2) While the player assets they have are good ones, to varying degrees, most (maybe all, with the exception of Davis and/or Lively) are under the line of "good" that would RETURN "usable" draft capital. In other words, you can probably find a way to leverage guys like Gafford and PJW into firsts, here and there, but not "good" firsts, like the kind people like Presti use to build their rosters. I think turning the roster over with that intent will likely leave the team in a much worse position than they are NOW, future included. Because the Mavs' OWN picks aren't and can't be part of a bottom out rebuild plan, it's much more unlikely to draft gems over the next five years than it is to simply be competitive, so my inclination would be to try to accelerate Flagg's growth by skipping the barren wasteland that is typically the rookie contract period for a player like him. I think that, right strings pulled, there's a real chance for them to make the playoffs and possibly even win a round or two NEXT SEASON, which would be INVALUABLE for a young player like him, if so. 

3) He's SO young that he won't even be done with his second contract when the nightmare of the misspent Luka build draft leverage is behind us, and there's a decent chance some of his initial teammates will still be around and contributing by that point. The universe has quite literally laid a path out in front of the Mavs that could solve all of their problems. 

Will it take some GMing talent, expertise, foresight and even a little luck? Absolutely, and I have no argument for those who are currently so down on Harrison that they assume it won't be executed well, but...I think we know him well enough to know what he'll do, and I personally think it's the RIGHT thing to do, given the specific and unique circumstances they find themselves in. And, finding youngish contributors fairly cheaply who fit in right away does seem to be the one thing he has consistently done fairly well to this point. 

As long as the organization understands that what's right for AD and/or Kyrie isn't absolutely, necessarily what's right for the TEAM now (it CAN be, but not absolutely, like it was the day before the lottery), then there's kind of a lot of margin for error around here, all of a sudden. Loads of ways to go.

[Scott41theMavs]

I think Flagg’s rookie campaign will be close to Cade Cunningham‘s in Detroit. Good raw numbers, visible talent, a stud in the making, but the level of play in the NBA is so, so much higher than NCAA ball that there will be plenty of growing pains. He never played pro, never won an Euroleague MVP, never lead a team with proven NBA players like Dragic to a FIBA title before entering the NBA. Luka did all that, won ROY (and iirc even made the allstar game immediately) but the Mavs still missed the playoffs in his first year.

With Kyrie out our oncourt fallback option right now is Davis. Weve seen him miss the playoffs countless times in that role when he was in his physical prime and he‘s already been injured a bunch since coming here. That wont change so there really isnt nearly as high of a floor as it was in the Luka era.

Personally Id try to slowly move on from the current roster. Trade Klay & Gafford in the summer for assets, but bring in a veteran PG in FA, extend Kyrie and then see how far AD can drag this team. There is a decent chance you will land another top 10 draft pick in 2026 organically given how deep the western conference & how unreliable Davis is.

From reading the recent posts, I think the most important thing for CF's rookie year is that fans understand that he isn't Luka, period. Different game. He has great passing and court vision, but not on Luka's phenomenal level.

I would say that the one parallel between Luka and CF is that there wouldn't be much of a good excuse for CF not winning ROTY. That would be a mini- (and hopefully temporary) bust situation.

[KillerLeft]

Personally Id try to slowly move on from the current roster. Trade Klay & Gafford in the summer for assets, but bring in a veteran PG in FA, extend Kyrie and then see how far AD can drag this team. There is a decent chance you will land another top 10 draft pick in 2026 organically given how deep the western conference & how unreliable Davis is.

If you feel that way about that, specific pick, I think an argument could be made for this approach. 

But, idk, I just think this team is going to be much better than you do.

[Chicagojk]

Paul would not be my favorite but if this team can't find a trade that is a clear upgrade he would have to be considered. I am not sure he would rank with the Shroeder or Tyus Jones of the world. The age is a big concern but he was still a mostly average player. He can still organize and run an offense. He would help getting our players in the best position. Would help AD get the ball in his spots. Would probably help our centers get a few more easy buckets even if he is not an elite lob player any longer.

He would be an adult in the room. For a good 20-25 minutes a night, I think he would still be capable. Certainly not a long term fit. Need to think more about it, but he could be a good safe option if a good trade does not materilize and you can hold on to your assets.

He is older than Kidd's second run here. Kidd also carried a heavier load and was the better player at this stage. Although, I could see Kidd seeing Paul being able to do some of the things Kidd did. Leading with his mind despite his body's older age.

[Scott41theMavs]

Here's my counter to this thinking:

1) With the exception of that Lakers pick, which I would try to keep, personally, none of the draft capital they have available to move is worth very much. It's "add on" capital, not "the point of the deal" capital, but might be helpful in attaching to their salaries (most of which are attached to good players) in order to reshape the roster. 

2) While the player assets they have are good ones, to varying degrees, most (maybe all, with the exception of Davis and/or Lively) are under the line of "good" that would RETURN "usable" draft capital. In other words, you can probably find a way to leverage guys like Gafford and PJW into firsts, here and there, but not "good" firsts, like the kind people like Presti use to build their rosters. I think turning the roster over with that intent will likely leave the team in a much worse position than they are NOW, future included. Because the Mavs' OWN picks aren't and can't be part of a bottom out rebuild plan, it's much more unlikely to draft gems over the next five years than it is to simply be competitive, so my inclination would be to try to accelerate Flagg's growth by skipping the barren wasteland that is typically the rookie contract period for a player like him. I think that, right strings pulled, there's a real chance for them to make the playoffs and possibly even win a round or two NEXT SEASON, which would be INVALUABLE for a young player like him, if so. 

3) He's SO young that he won't even be done with his second contract when the nightmare of the misspent Luka build draft leverage is behind us, and there's a decent chance some of his initial teammates will still be around and contributing by that point. The universe has quite literally laid a path out in front of the Mavs that could solve all of their problems. 

Will it take some GMing talent, expertise, foresight and even a little luck? Absolutely, and I have no argument for those who are currently so down on Harrison that they assume it won't be executed well, but...I think we know him well enough to know what he'll do, and I personally think it's the RIGHT thing to do, given the specific and unique circumstances they find themselves in. And, finding youngish contributors fairly cheaply who fit in right away does seem to be the one thing he has consistently done fairly well to this point. 

As long as the organization understands that what's right for AD and/or Kyrie isn't absolutely, necessarily what's right for the TEAM now (it CAN be, but not absolutely, like it was the day before the lottery), then there's kind of a lot of margin for error around here, all of a sudden. Loads of ways to go.

I would agree with James that the Mavs' most valuable draft capital is the '26 pick, especially given how stacked that one is supposed to be. If CF has growing pains, and AD spends time out with injury, it could be too late by the time Kyrie returns to make a run. A top 14 pick next year could be pretty valuable - and more valuable to the Mavs than what it would net in trade.

[KillerLeft]

Paul would not be my favorite but if this team can't find a trade that is a clear upgrade he would have to be considered.    I am not sure he would rank with the Shroeder or Tyus Jones of the world.    The age is a big concern but he was still a mostly average player.    He can still organize and run an offense.  He would help getting our players in the best position.  Would help AD get the ball in his spots.  Would probably help our centers get a few more easy buckets even if he is not an elite lob player any longer. 

He would be an adult in the room.    For a good 20-25 minutes a night, I think he would still be capable.    Certainly not a long term fit.  Need to think more about it, but he could be a good safe option if a good trade does not materilize and you can hold on to your assets.

I don't think CP3 is anyone's wildest dream, but I'd take that option 100/100 times over Schroeder.

[LukaMVP]

you won't witness a draft class nearly as stacked as this the next a few years ahead so you probably won't get the talent you want from 2026 draft no matter tank or not. cp3 is a good option and i'd also prefer a coach from spurs organization so we can follow a path similar to their Duncan era. davis is our David Robinson, and Flagg will be our tim Duncan hopefully.

[Smitty]

Stein was pretty adamant that he thinks Paul goes back to Cali

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

CP3 is no longer providing value for a championship team, unless it's at the end of bench with a clipboard.

[cow]

CP3 is my wildest dream.

[SleepingHero]

Gafford is gone, I think. That sounds like they're thinking ambitiously at that position, so just in terms of salary structure I think Gafford and/or PJW have to be outgoing. Maybe both. 

This summer just got way more fun for me. I'm so stoked to not be totally dead inside regarding the Mavs, finally.

AD is Nico's guy and he isn't going anywhere. 

But with that said, a fun thought experiment entered my mind regarding the Spurs+Giannis. Given the Spurs interest in Giannis, and Giannis may not actually be on the market, could they consider AD as a viable backup plan?  AD isn't that far off from Giannis. He isn't as good, but he also won't cost the entire farm.

Would a deal centered around Fox+#14+2027 ATL unprotected pick make anyone excited? Fox instantly comes in and plays PG. PJ slides back to his natural position at the 4. We keep the Gafford+Lively tandem. And we get a whole lot younger too.  

Again no way Nico actually trades his guy. But still food for thought.

[LukaMVP]

or maybe Kyrie and davis can recruit LeBron in some way. Lakers can take whatever role players not named lively to make the salary work, and then we'd have a superteam. Bron knows he ain't getting his fifth if he stays in LA, and the mavs are the most appealing destination for him now with Flagg in town.

[rocky164]

AD is Nico's guy and he isn't going anywhere. 

But with that said, a fun thought experiment entered my mind regarding the Spurs+Giannis. Given the Spurs interest in Giannis, and Giannis may not actually be on the market, could they consider AD as a viable backup plan?  AD isn't that far off from Giannis. He isn't as good, but he also won't cost the entire farm.

Would a deal centered around Fox+#14+2027 ATL unprotected pick make anyone excited? Fox instantly comes in and plays PG. PJ slides back to his natural position at the 4. We keep the Gafford+Lively tandem. And we get a whole lot younger too.  

Again no way Nico actually trades his guy. But still food for thought.

I too have been thinking about an AD to San Antonio trade.  But my goal would be to get the number 2 pick.  We’d then have 2 rookie contracts and 3 very young players to build around.  But I don’t hate the idea of Fox.  Bottom line is that if I’m making a trade to balance the team and build toward’s Flagg’s timeline.  I’d trade AD and keep Gafford an PJ

[cow]

Fox needs to be paid soon. If you want another high pick in this draft, #3 is probably the easiest get if you are willing to take on Playoff P.