2025 draft thread: THE MAVS SELECT COOPER FLAGG

[Winter]

In this podcast around 20:30 Kidd talks about trying out CF at the 2 spot (assuming PJ at the 3). He apparently is open to playing with the lineups just to see how it shakes out.

https://www.youtube.com/live/Opbpw1LqweM

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

There is zero chance and I mean zero chance Orlando even considers that trade. Only Nico would trade those guys for AD. Sign me up, but no chance.

Suggs was a bridge too far.  So make it AD for Franz, filler contracts to fit.

[Jmaciscool]

First we trade Nico plus all of our available picks to Orlando. They think "sure, Nico sucks, but we'll take him for those pics picks and get rid of him later."

But by then it's too late, they've already fallen into our trap.
We quickly offer to trade them AD, which of course Nico can't resist, and we get the player we want plus all our picks back!

It's almost too easy...

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Suggs was a bridge too far.  So make it AD for Franz, filler contracts to fit.

This works....

[vfromlmf]

If Flagg starts over Klay at SG it’s going to be insane. Four starters 6’ 8” or taller, 220lbs with 7ft wingspans

[FireNicoHarrison]

If I still cared, I´d consider Micic + #29 for Gafford an option, since Micic is a pure team option and Phoenix has no capspace or starting center.

Micic is a great pick up, floor general with high IQ.

[FireNicoHarrison]

If Flagg starts over Klay at SG it’s going to be insane. Four starters 6’ 8” or taller, 220lbs with 7ft wingspans

And noone can make 3s... Not so insane.

[vfromlmf]

Depends on your definition of insane.

[vfromlmf]

And depends on your fifth starter. Bring in a cheap 3&D guard like Sasser and who knows. Obviously all the offense would need to run through AD and Flagg. I have no idea how good Flagg is going to be. Is he Galinari or Paul George? Franz Wagner or Michael Porter Jr or Paulo Banchero? Is he Larry Bird or Scottie Pippen? Or is he Michael Beasley?

[myconsumerclub]

When Irving is in there he is 40% from 3 and both PJ and Cooper should hit 38% plus. If only AD was a good three point shooter. I know that Lively can hit them so they really need to see about making him into a stretch 5. Klays % was okay for him considering he improved it from the prior season when he wasn't as hot as he usually is.

Brandon like Ky also seems to shoot the 3 for a high % so when he is in he should have the green light. If Martin Omax Hardy and Powell are all gone then I hope they get some picks to use on shooters in the draft. Hardy is probably going to end up being a 40% shooter from 3 I just wished he had a game to play defense.

[myconsumerclub]

AD is a real center playing PF where as Franz is a skinny PF that needs to learn how to hit the 3 better just like most of the guys on that team and who knows as he ages he probably will improve but 29.5 % is a lousy shooting percentage

[FireNicoHarrison]

PJ last 4 years

32%
32%
31%
38%

Probably last year was a fluke.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

AD is a real center playing PF where as Franz is a skinny PF that needs to learn how to hit the 3 better just like most of the guys on that team and who knows as he ages he probably will improve but 29.5 % is a lousy shooting percentage

AD is very much on the record that he prefers to play the 4.  Franz is a SF, not PF.

[F Gump]

Odd thought on depth chart from hearing Kidd talk

Starters
C - Lively
F - AD, PJW
G - CF, Klay

Main backups
C- Gaff, [AD]
F - Naji, Martin
G - Williams, Christie [Kyrie eventually]

Trade/3rd string
C - Powell, F - Omax, G - Hardy

Have to lose a little salary somehow, to make the numbers stay under A2. But something as simple as Powell + cash (and a SRP swap) for air, then signing Jones, does the trick. But would hope for more (such as Martin/Hardy for Ball) which might then open room for Exum to be returned (should be low price market).

[Winter]

In reference to the post above, I posted this Kidd podcast somewhere in this thread.

It's hard to know if he was just spitballing, but I can imagine lineups where CF at the 2 is effective. Maybe not really as a starting unit, but more situational. At the very least, Kidd is tinkering with lineups that include PJ as if that is of interest to him.

If you had Ball (6'6") as the PG, your average height is probably somewhere around 6'9 for that rotation. It might be too slow for a lot of teams, but it would force most teams to the perimeter. I think Ball, PJ, and CF might be able to stay with the switches.

Fun idea to tinker with.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

And depends on your fifth starter. Bring in a cheap 3&D guard like Sasser and who knows. Obviously all the offense would need to run through AD and Flagg. I have no idea how good Flagg is going to be. Is he Galinari or Paul George? Franz Wagner or Michael Porter Jr or Paulo Banchero? Is he Larry Bird or Scottie Pippen? Or is he Michael Beasley?

None of us know. That's the beauty of it. But we all can probably make the assumption, that he'll be pretty good, and no Anthony Bennett.

[DL2RimRocker]

I'm probably more optimistic than most on BWill. I know he is small but we need offense and he seems to be a pretty damn good scorer. He's also freakishly athletic and quick and has decent PG skills.

I'd just hate to see us waste valuable trade capital on Kyrie's eventual backup. If Kyrie doesn't come back to at least 90% then make the move for his replacement at the trade TDL.

[Winter]

I'm probably more optimistic than most on BWill. I know he is small but we need offense and he seems to be a pretty damn good scorer. He's also freakishly athletic and quick and has decent PG skills.

I'm high on this guy as well, and he plays bigger than his listed height. He was generally fearless, shot the three-ball well, and had few TO's. His defense was generally good for the most part.

We dismiss him a little because he hasn't played starter minutes much, but if he's anything like last season then he's an important piece. I wouldn't be uncomfortable with him in the starting rotation as it stands now.

[khaled1987]

The idea of Cooper at 2 is horrible, I can get behind him as a 3, I don't agree but I can see the logic behind it.

Him as a 2 is insanity, and we will be forcing him to be something he isn't, while putting insane load on 33 years old Kyrie coming from ACL.

[Winter]

The idea of Cooper at 2 is horrible, I can get behind him as a 3, I don't agree but I can see the logic behind it.

Him as a 2 is insanity, and we will be forcing him to be something he isn't, while putting insane load on 33 years old Kyrie coming from ACL.

You could be right. It's a bit crazy.

The reason I think it's interesting is more that Kidd seem to discuss it while inlcuding PJ in the lineup. This may have just been a message to PJ that we value him. I'm a little unsure about the seriousness of it given that it was in a roundtable podcast.