2025 draft thread: THE MAVS SELECT COOPER FLAGG

[SleepingHero]

Take the combine workouts with a grain of salt.  Really don’t tell you much.  I have had trouble jumping in in Demin.  Thought he does t handle the ball enough or lacks some quickness to be a point.  If so, may be a Joe Ingles player.  He shot the ball really well at the combine.  If it all works out, he would be really interesting with our new team. 6’9 guard.  Good passer.  Great size. 

https://youtu.be/2QtNpEKCVZA?si=kD2QTQkxEUwQLuYA

https://x.com/draftexpress/status/1923049486265233501?s=46&t=Fmdr94oXagcEyy75KJqaFg


Egor is shooting up my own personal lists. He was slated to be a mid 1st but apparently may even go top 10 now. He had the best assist to turnover ratio in college last year. Huge size, great passer. And video's like this show he can shoot the lights out. 

Honestly reminds me a bit of Lamar Odom.

If he's still around 13-15, which I don't think it's likely, I hope the Mavs find a way to pickup another pick to pair him with Flagg.

[david75090]

So do I have to correct you a second time, Sir? I never said a small forward ONLY - I said he has prototypical size and skills for a perfect small forward, especially on a team that wants to win with defense, athleticism and size (and traded a top 3 player for 50 cents on the dollar for that reason).

In no way, shape or form did I say he can’t become a great power forward or even small ball center or maybe a big shooting guard or point forward or whatever. 

So let‘s just look at a matchup with Oklahoma, who will be the team to beat in the next years - would you prefer him matching up with Chet Holmgren or Jalen Williams? 

I‘d prefer AD dominating Holmgren physically and Cooper neutralizing Williams.

Those things happen. Earlier in the thread I made a similar remark about CF playing PF, but didn't say PF, only. Then someone mentioned they didn't get the bit about CF being a PF and PF, only, which you agreed with, that I didn't say. So, I agree that CF has positional versatility and will start out playing PF/SF and ONLY neither, even if you say "prototypical".

[FireNicoHarrison]

Agree, i would trade PJ and/or Gafford for a pick in the 10-15 range and pick Egor.

[Knutsen]

Those things happen. Earlier in the thread I made a similar remark about CF playing PF, but didn't say PF, only. Then someone mentioned they didn't get the bit about CF being a PF and PF, only, which you agreed with, that I didn't say. So, I agree that CF has positional versatility and will start out playing PF/SF and ONLY neither, even if you say "prototypical".

Alright - what about the matchup against OKC, I‘m interested in your opinion?

„Prototypical“ means if I could design the perfect small forward he would have these traits. What would your perfect small forward look like? What would differentiate him from Flagg physically and skill-wise?

[david75090]

Alright - what about the matchup against OKC, I‘m interested in your opinion?

„Prototypical“ means if I could design the perfect small forward he would have these traits. What would your perfect small forward look like? What would differentiate him from Flagg physically and skill-wise?

Cooper Flagg. 18 going on 19. Is he still growing? Don't know. What we figure he is now, might be different later. Right now, I'm thinking SF/PF. Matchup against OKC? Who knows. Have to wait and see, then adjust from there. It will change over time and OKC has all those draft choices, so who knows what OKC will throw out there next season. Who do the Mavs trade this summer? Will Nico still be GM? Do the Mavs get the much needed upgrade at PG. Too many questions without answers. Job one, fire Nico.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2519...tar-player


Most NBA executives feel that CF will be very good. But not necessarily a star player.

[Chicagojk]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2519...tar-player


Most NBA executives feel that CF will be very good. But not necessarily a star player.

These anonymous gm’s are the spurs, sixers and Hornets.  Ha

8 love these articles btw.  I have no idea what he turns into.  He just turned 18.

[SleepingHero]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2519...tar-player


Most NBA executives feel that CF will be very good. But not necessarily a star player.

Definitely feels like "most" NBA executives are mad that Nico lucked his way into a get out of jail free card after pulling one over on them.

I mean how mad must the Jazz be right now? Wizards? Hornets? 

I also remember a bunch of NBA executives and scouts saying a certain pro baller from Slovenia couldn't be an all-star because he was slow.

[Knutsen]

Definitely feels like "most" NBA executives are mad that Nico lucked his way into a get out of jail free card after pulling one over on them.

I mean how mad must the Jazz be right now? Wizards? Hornets? 

I also remember a bunch of NBA executives and scouts saying a certain pro baller from Slovenia couldn't be an all-star because he was slow.

I liked these comparisons from NBA executives from a couple of weeks ago - paints a quite differentiated picture of different possible projections:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4450...-no-1-pick

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2519...tar-player


Most NBA executives feel that CF will be very good. But not necessarily a star player.

 
Most NBA Execs are coping because they can't get him.

[Mavs2021]

Definitely feels like "most" NBA executives are mad that Nico lucked his way into a get out of jail free card after pulling one over on them.

I mean how mad must the Jazz be right now? Wizards? Hornets? 

I also remember a bunch of NBA executives and scouts saying a certain pro baller from Slovenia couldn't be an all-star because he was slow.

If we assume the NBA lottery is not rigged and different teams in 9th/10th and 11th would still win the lottery the past two years, then Utah especially has only themselves to blame. Wizards and Hornets are just sh*t, but Utah could easily have finished at 9th or 10th last year (probably even lower) and 11th this year, if they competed hard all year.

They were 26-26 and could easily have reached the play-in last year. They also finished 5-25 to tank ONE game below the Nets, who ended up swapping the 3rd pick to Houston. 

This season they finished 2-21 and on top were tanking from the start.

[Mavs2021]

Definitely feels like "most" NBA executives are mad that Nico lucked his way into a get out of jail free card after pulling one over on them.

They are probably not even mad that Nico got Flagg. They are mad that Silver HAD TO GIVE him the #1 pick as compensation, cause Nico and Patrick are so stupid, that if he gave them Harper, Edgecombe or Bailey, there is no doubt that they make another idiotic trade like #2 Harper, Lively, Washington, Hardy for Durant.  Phoenix lost out more than anybody else.

But Silver covered all bases, cause even Dummyont won´t let Nico trade a cashcow like Flagg, the best White American since Larry Bird.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

They are probably not even mad that Nico got Flagg. They are mad that Silver HAD TO GIVE him the #1 pick as compensation, cause Nico and Patrick are so stupid, that if he gave them Harper, Edgecombe or Bailey, there is no doubt that they make another idiotic trade like #2 Harper, Lively, Washington, Hardy for Durant.  Phoenix lost out more than anybody else.

But Silver covered all bases, cause even Dummyont won´t let Nico trade a cashcow like Flagg, the best White American since Larry Bird.

A little early for those types of predictions, ya think?   We'll have to wait and see won't we?

[Mavs2021]

A little early for those types of predictions, ya think?   We'll have to wait and see won't we?

I´m confident he´ll be better than guys like Love, Majerle, Wally, Herro and company. I don´t count Nash as he is Canadian. maybe I miss somebody. Been 30+ years since  Larry.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Definitely feels like "most" NBA executives are mad that Nico lucked his way into a get out of jail free card after pulling one over on them.

I mean how mad must the Jazz be right now? Wizards? Hornets? 

I also remember a bunch of NBA executives and scouts saying a certain pro baller from Slovenia couldn't be an all-star because he was slow.

However compare Flagg to Luka is not a great idea...

[Scott41theMavs]

I liked these comparisons from NBA executives from a couple of weeks ago - paints a quite differentiated picture of different possible projections:

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4450...-no-1-pick

I will say that CF may never be an alpha scorer while being fantastic at everything else. That's why the '26 pick may end up being really important. And why getting a real GM is indispensable.

[FireNicoHarrison]

I will say that CF may never be an alpha scorer while being fantastic at everything else. That's why the '26 pick may end up being really important. And why getting a real GM is indispensable.

Agree.

And not even Kawhi was an alpha scorer in the first years of his career and college... Cooper has to work hard every day. Dallas is with you. Let's goooooo

[Knutsen]

Cooper Flagg. 18 going on 19. Is he still growing? Don't know. What we figure he is now, might be different later. Right now, I'm thinking SF/PF. Matchup against OKC? Who knows. Have to wait and see, then adjust from there. It will change over time and OKC has all those draft choices, so who knows what OKC will throw out there next season. Who do the Mavs trade this summer? Will Nico still be GM? Do the Mavs get the much needed upgrade at PG. Too many questions without answers. Job one, fire Nico.

Let’s speculate less about what might or might not happen and talk more pure basketball preferences, I‘m still really interested in your prototypical small forward! What kind of athletic traits and skills does he need to have in contrast to what Cooper Flagg brings?

[khaled1987]

I will say that CF may never be an alpha scorer while being fantastic at everything else. That's why the '26 pick may end up being really important. And why getting a real GM is indispensable.

I am going to add something to this. 
People might actually need to hit the break a little on Copper Flagg hype. I saw the word generational several times here, or best American prospect since Lebron.

He might turn this way, but right now I just don't see it. 

He is closer to AD type of prospect than a Luka type of prospect IMHO. People forget the insane hype AD got while in college, I actually think with all success AD had he was underwhelming in comparison to what he achieved. 

For me CP is a sure fire All Star who will have All NBA team in his resume, and has very little weaknesses to his game. There is no doubt about it. This is great and Franchise saving player in itself, but it is still a level below generational.

I hope we are planning around him with that in mind tbh.

[Winter]

He is closer to AD type of prospect than a Luka type of prospect IMHO.

I don't disagree about your premise, but I should point out that very few teams understood who Luka was on draft night. No one saw him as "generational" then.

For the record, I don't like that term at all, and predicting that is silly in my opinion.

What I would say is that good players in college (especially Duke which is usually heavy with NBA players) or in a European league frequently find more opprtunities to score in the NBA. It's more wide open I think, and I suspect CF can easily be a 20+ ppg player. That said, I think CF's on-court value is probably more than every other prospect in the field - much more than just a ppg thing - and is what makes him the 1st pick.

An interesting comparison mught be someone like Kyrie - who is completely different than CF in regard to size and position - and yet when Kyrie came out he clearly had skills no one else had in the draft. He had advanced metrics everywhere and was the #1 pick. Kyrie scores in the mid 20s ppg as an average almost every year in his NBA career, but his value is clearly much greater than that. CF's value really shines when you add rebounding, defense, and rim protection - something Kyrie was never known for. I do think players like CF are really rare.