Mavericks' rumored D'Angelo Russell plan is secretly built for Cooper Flagg stardom

The Dallas Mavericks kicked off free agency by signing D'Angelo Russell to a two-year deal, and this move came just a few days after Dallas drafted Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg is set to become one of the team's stars right away, as he sports an NBA-ready frame, game, and work ethic. The Mavs already have a great plan in place to help jumpstart his development as a ball handler and creator, and it starts with his on-court dynamic with Russell within the starting lineup to begin the season.

Dallas was always looking for a point guard who can play alongside or without Kyrie Irving in free agency, as he is set to miss a significant chunk of next season, but their reasoning for wanting a combo guard is much deeper than playing with or without Irving. They wanted someone who could play off the ball to allow Flagg to handle the playmaking load at times, and their plan of making him handle the ball early and often isn't just a Jason Kidd press conference quote.

It's a reality that is quickly approaching, and a report from Keith Smith of Spotrac confirms this.

Mavericks signed Russell with Flagg at the front of their mind

Smith talked to executives and coaches from around the league during NBA Summer League, and one Mavericks coach made it clear why the team signed Russell.

"We had to get a guy a who could play in place of Kyrie (Irving) while he’s out," a Mavericks coach told Smith. "But that guy also needed to play with Kyrie too. We feel like DLo fits that perfectly. We also like that he can shift off the ball with Cooper (Flagg) handling the playmaking too."

Whispers of the Mavericks wanting to make Flagg a facilitator came days before the draft, as Jason Kidd compared him to Grant Hill, and the noise about Flagg playing some point forward/guard for Dallas only got louder during his introductory press conference at the Mavericks' practice facility.

This was likely the biggest press conference Dallas has ever hosted to welcome a player, as media members were welcomed with catered Whataburger with No. 32 table tents scattered across the long tables that were filled with hamburgers and wings, and rather than the press conference being held in the normal press conference room right by the front door, it was hosted inside of the gym on one of the practice courts.

It was a massive turnout, as countless media members and seemingly every member of the Mavericks organization were in the room to watch Flagg answer questions about the next step in his basketball journey in the Lone Star State. This is where Kidd and Mark Cuban began pushing the narrative that fans could see Flagg playing some point guard next season, and he welcomed this challenge with open arms.

While on stage with Flagg and Nico Harrison, Kidd talked about Flagg playing point guard multiple times, and Cuban reflected this sentiment in his media scrum that followed the press conference.

"I'd send a text to J-Kidd, point guard, point guard, point guard, let him bring the ball up," Cuban said.

Less than a month later, Cuban participated in an exclusive interview with The Smoking Cuban, and he expressed his belief in Flagg's guard skills once again.

"He showed he has handles, no one stole the ball, and every guy out there was trying to take the ball from him," Cuban told The Smoking Cuban while in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League. "I think he really showed up and proved that he can make reads, he can get to his spots, and he can create for other people. He makes the right pass almost every time."

The front office and coaching staff have clearly believed in Flagg's ability as a passer, ball handler, and facilitator for some time now, and they already seem to have a plan in place to let him be one of the primary initiators at the beginning of the season.

While Russell will likely be the main ball handler at first, Dallas likes the fact that he can transition into a role off the ball to let Flagg run the show. This shows how much belief they already have in their new 18-year-old franchise cornerstone, and him being used as a ball handler is only going to help him.

This will allow him to develop much quicker than if he were in a permanent off-ball role, and Dallas seems to already have all of their ducks in a row regarding their Flagg plan, and the season is still three months away.