It’s been one week since the Dallas Mavericks shook up the NBA landscape — for the second time in nearly four months — by securing the No. 1 pick in next month’s draft.
It’s presumable Cooper Flagg will be the first name Adam Silver calls June 25 and will be wearing a Mavericks hat during his obligatory photo with the longtime NBA commissioner.
The prospect of adding Flagg brings excitement to a distraught fanbase and hope for a new two-pronged timeline that helps the Mavericks in both the present and future.
The first step toward a successful offseason would be the selection of Flagg, the multidimensional 18-year-old who could become one of the faces of the NBA. Flagg is coming off his lone season at Duke, where he became the 2025 Naismith Player of the Year, and will enter the league with a versatile two-way skillset that aligns perfectly with Dallas’ new defensive philosophy.
Kidd said during his 17-minute interview that the process of getting to know Flagg and his family could start as soon as “the coming week” when the Mavericks host the consensus top pick for a visit in Dallas.
But how does inserting Flagg into the lineup change the veteran-heavy Mavericks and their offseason plan?
Before the winning pingpong ball combination was revealed, a legitimate question was whether Dallas could address its needs for a primary playmaker and an additional two-way wing this offseason while hovering around the first salary cap apron. With Flagg the most obvious choice for the No. 1 selection, one draft pick could solve the latter.
That leaves finding a replacement point guard through free agency or a trade to fill the void left by Kyrie Irving, who is expected to miss a significant portion of next season to rehab a torn left ACL. He also has a player option he could exercise this offseason.
Does the addition of Flagg make Irving’s decision to opt into the 2025-26 season an easier choice? Maybe, maybe not. What it does ensure is Irving would return to a team that will be better than the one Memphis eliminated in the second game of the play-in tournament.
“We have the No. 1 pick, and if we go after the young man from Duke, it gives us a lot of options because he can play multiple positions,” Kidd said. “You can have a jumbo lineup out there where you’re extremely big. And you also can go small. As a coach, but also as a Mavs fan, this is an exciting time.”
Flagg, who registered at 6-7 ¾ at last week’s NBA combine, played power forward at Duke, but Kidd suggested he could play both forward spots, small-ball center and even shooting guard.
A lineup of Irving (when healthy) Klay Thompson, Flagg, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II could be the most ideal starting five by the time next season ends, but the Mavericks will be working backward while their star guard is sidelined. Kidd said Irving has been positive about his injury through their conversations.
“Talking to him, his spirit, he’s in the right frame of mind,” Kidd said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s back early.”
Kidd was also asked if the roster makeup of this season’s conference finalists (Oklahoma City, Minnesota, New York and Indiana) affirms what Dallas needs to contend for a championship.
“You gotta have stars and length,” Kidd said. “You have to be able to not just rely on one guy. Being able to have depth. Your role players have to play as stars. We believe that our roster has that when you look at PJ [Washington] and the things he’s done since the trade. [Daniel] Gafford.”
Washington and Gafford, who were acquired at the trade deadline in 2024, will be on expiring contracts next season. Both players helped transform the Mavericks into one of the best defensive teams in the NBA down the stretch of their run to the NBA Finals last year.
Free agency begins July 1, which has become the unofficial start of another trade season. This period will be integral for Dallas’ goals of bringing in another primary initiator who can run the pick-and-roll with a bevy of bigs, find open shooters and create offense.
Dallas has two unrestricted free agents in Spencer Dinwiddie, Dante Exum and two players – Irving and Dwight Powell – with player options.
Flagg’s addition could allow Dallas to put Washington or Gafford on the table as trade chips, especially since both players are extension eligible later this summer and could be on expiring contracts if long-term agreements aren’t completed before the season starts.
Kidd was cautious about mentioning Flagg by name during his last two public appearances, including Thursday’s interview with the Dan Patrick Show.
But multiple people in the organization assured The Dallas Morning News there is no thought being given to trading the pick, and Kidd is preparing as if Flagg will remain in blue.
Not the shade he wore in college, but Mavericks blue.
“Right now, I’m studying the young man that used to play at Duke,” Kidd said.
