Building Around Cooper: A Backward-Looking Thought Experiment

[meistermatze]

Now that we have finally committed to building around Cooper and regained some flexibility, it is time to think about how to do it. Of course, everything depends on future moves and a bit of luck (or lack thereof, for example the next draft pick), which could either accelerate or slow down this process. There are also multiple ways to achieve similar or slightly different results.

That is why I thought it would be fun to work backwards. We start with an ideal lineup around Cooper, then look at our current assets and discuss which types of players, or even specific names, could fill each role.

There are obviously many correct answers, since Cooper should be relatively easy to build around. What follows is simply my way of thinking about it. I hope this can spark a productive and ongoing discussion and maybe even become a fun exercise for everyone. So let us begin.

The Core Idea: Cooper Plus a True Co-Star
In my opinion, Cooper can be the best player on a contending team, but he needs a co-star. Ideally, this second star is someone who can create offense, pass, and shoot from the outside. Think of a classic 1-2 punch. While Cooper has clearly improved and shows signs of becoming a true all-around, three-level scorer, most of his damage will likely come in the paint. I also do not see him as a constant 30-point scorer, especially because of his two-way responsibilities. Because of that, he could even be the second-highest scorer on the team, or at least very close to a high-volume scoring guard or wing.

The Kyrie Question
If Kyrie decides to stay and returns close to his pre-injury level, he is actually very close to the ideal fit for this role. Of course, it would be nice if he were younger, bigger, and stronger defensively, but realistically this is still a very strong option. The idealized version of this archetype, also age-wise, would be someone like Anthony Edwards. That is an obvious answer, though, since he fits almost anywhere.

Positional Logic and Roster Construction
Following this logic, a significant portion of the cap should be allocated to this second star, ideally at the point guard or shooting guard position. Cooper’s ideal position in the modern NBA is power forward, especially as he continues to get stronger. That said, he can realistically play any position except center going forward. This positional flexibility allows him to thrive alongside tall guards and wings who can defend multiple positions and switch seamlessly.

Because of this, it becomes clear that the roster needs to be rounded out with big, versatile wings and guards. These players should be able to defend multiple positions and complement the combination of Cooper and the creator-type star. This becomes even more important if the creator-type is smaller and has defensive limitations. If you have an Anthony Edwards–type player, defensive concerns are less pressing. If not, the surrounding personnel must compensate, for example by emphasizing defense and versatility over pure shot creation.

Since the modern NBA relies heavily on shooting and spacing, and since Cooper would benefit immensely from an open paint, these versatile defenders also need to be at least competent, and ideally very good, outside shooters. Think classic 3-and-D players. If one of them is also a strong point-of-attack defender, you have almost everything covered. Obviously, there are levels to this, and most teams will never fully reach this ideal. But for the sake of this exercise, we are assuming an optimal scenario.

The Center Question
This brings us to the center position. Ideally, you would want a big who can protect the rim, switch defensively, and space the floor. Outside of players like Bam Adebayo, Chet Holmgren, and Victor Wembanyama, there are very few true examples of this archetype. Still, this is the general profile I have in mind.
That said, if the rest of the roster is constructed close to perfectly, you can get away with a defense-first center who does not shoot. In that sense, Dereck Lively is already a very strong option, especially given his age. The obvious downside is his health, but in principle he fits the role extremely well. So now that we, finally, commited to built around Coop and got some flexibility back, we should start to think about how to do it. 

Bench Construction and Role Players
A perfectly constructed roster would consist of 15 players who can do everything. Obviously, that is not realistic. However, based on the ideal starting five, it makes sense to establish a defensive identity. Everyone outside of the creator-type should be a positive defender, with Cooper setting the tone. As a result, most role players should also have a defensive mindset. At the same time, you will need shooting off the bench. How much shooting you need depends on how large Cooper’s, and the other wings’, shooting limitations are. In some cases, you may need a Klay Thompson–type player, even if that comes at the expense of defense. If such a player starts for spacing reasons, then someone else must pick up the defensive slack. The balance is always situational.

This all leads me to this chart:

PG | Co-Star with he ability to shoot from outside and score a lot | Classic PG-type with strong defense | Classic PG or Scoring-Spark  (depending on what we need more going forward)
SG | Versatile 3&D-Wing with some creating ability | Sharpshooter Wing | Pure Shooter or Pure Defender/Energy-Guy
SF | Versatile 3&D-Wing with excellent defensense | Playmaking-Wing  | Pure Shooter or Pure Defender/Energy-Guy
PF | Cooper | Stretch-4-type | Pure Shooter or Pure Defender/Energy-Guy
C |Defending big, who can stretch the floor or be a lob thread | Big who excells in the area C1 is lacking in | All-Around big or prospect

and given our current team, I see the followings roles penciled in for now:

PG | Kyrie Irving | Classic PG-type with strong defense | Tyus Jones/Ryan Nembhard or Brandon Williams
SG | Max Christie | Playmaking-Wing  | Klay Thompson 
SF |  Versatile 3&D-Wing with excellent defense or playmaking | Naji Marshall | Caleb Martin
PF | Cooper Flagg | PJ Washington Jr. |  Pure Shooter or Pure Defender/Energy-Guy
C | Derek Lively | Daniel Gafford | Marvin Bagley III or Moussa Cisse

If everybody was healthy, we only need one excellent 3&D-wing to have a perfect starting five. This is a big if, though, with Kyrie's and Lively's injuries. If they don't want to stay here or the Mavs decide to move on, we would obviously need to upgrade the positions accordingly.

What also stands out to me, is that PJ is way to expensive for his role, as will Naji be with his current play. They also lack the shooting aspect to really play next to Cooper going forwards. It might work if you get a shooting Center but those are hard to come by, especially if you want your Center to anchor the defense. So you see, everything is verändern the next part. But I think it is way more likely to find a great 3&D guy instead of PJ or Naji than to find a perfect Center who can do everything.

Also, Klay is simply too expensive for the role he currently fills.

Because of that, the most obvious moves, in my opinion, are the following:

• Trade P.J. Washington.
  
• Trade Naji Marshall.
  
• Acquire one or two versatile 3-and-D wings or bigs, either through the draft or via trade. This is especially important because Cooper can also play the three.
  
• If you trust Lively and Kyrie to stay healthy, roll with them. If not, prioritize upgrading those positions.
  
• Decide whether you want upside or experience at certain roster spots, especially the third center and point guard positions, and move on from unnecessary players.
  

What do you guys think? I hope, we can get a great discussion going!