2025 draft thread: THE MAVS SELECT COOPER FLAGG

[Chicagojk]

I have been looking at round 1 and round two point guards just in case. I will accept the draft guys that Clayton Jr is a late first/early second round pick. I only came onto him late, but boy did he look good in the tournament. I don't know if he is a pure point guard but could see him hitting open threes all game long. He has such a pure shooting stroke.

I think Pettiford and Philon are both freshman and should probably return because they are not guaranteed first round picks. I love Pettiford though. He has some pizazz to his game. He is small though and this will limit him. Philon has the size and a real slithery type of game. He is not the athlete that Pettiford is.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m90Q5lgLYgg

I have seen Flagg's teammate Proctor be drafted in the 50's in some drafts. I would love to buy a pick for him. He is not a point guard, but in some ways he plays like Derrick White. Probably not close to the player White is but he is a guy with size who can hit open shots.



Two non PG prospects who caught my attention. Koby Brea(Nico may like the name) and Adou Thiero. Polar opposites. Brea is an old player who is 6'7 and a flame thrower from three. Thiero can't shoot but is a A plus athlete.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrG2OO-J_tc

[Winter]

I have been looking at round 1 and round two point guards just in case.  I will accept the draft guys that Clayton Jr is a late first/early second round pick.    I only came onto him late, but boy did he look good in the tournament.  I don't know if he is a pure point guard but could see him hitting open threes all game long.    He has such a pure shooting stroke.

I think Pettiford and Philon are both freshman and should probably return because they are not guaranteed first round picks.  I love Pettiford though.  He has some pizazz to his game.  He is small though and this will limit him.  Philon has the size and a real slithery type of game.  He is not the athlete that Pettiford is.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/m90Q5lgLYgg

I have seen Flagg's teammate Proctor be drafted in the 50's in some drafts.  I would love to buy a pick for him.  He is not a point guard, but in some ways he plays like Derrick White.  Probably not close to the player White is but he is a guy with size who can hit open shots. 



Two non PG prospects who caught my attention.  Koby Brea(Nico may like the name) and Adou Thiero.  Polar opposites.  Brea is an old player who is 6'7 and a flame thrower from three.  Thiero can't shoot but is a A plus athlete. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrG2OO-J_tc

In regards to Walter Clayton, it's hard to imagine that he won't be useful in the NBA. I rarely see someone that comfortable shooting 3's in big games. His build reminds me a little of Desmond Bane. 

Like you, I doubt he's a real rotation player as a PG, but I could see him easily as a backup SG.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

IMO Flagg could be a SF at a very high level. I think SG is a bridge too far.

[Winter]

IMO Flagg could be a SF at a very high level.  I think SG is a bridge too far.

The more I thought about, the more it felt like a gimmick .... and not the best use of each player's actual skill and position.

The Mavericks have a position problem. Trying to play players out of position doesn't feel like a solution for better team play. I think the front office probably knows this.

I have really no idea what they're going to do. Maybe they try it with CF at the SG, but that doesn't feel right for him or for the team.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

The more I thought about, the more it felt like a gimmick .... and not the best use of each player's actual skill and position.

The Mavericks have a position problem. Trying to play players out of position doesn't feel like a solution for better team play. I think the front office probably knows this.

I have really no idea what they're going to do. Maybe they try it with CF at the SG, but that doesn't feel right for him or for the team.

I simply don't see SG as viable.  SF, yes.  But also yes, Flagg's best, most natural position is PF.  That said, as he develops, I'd like to see him get some burn at SF.

Again, AD seems to be the most redundant, expensive asset.  I think we need to move his for a PG.  Young, big, defensive-minded PG.  Dyson Daniels?  AD to ATL makes a lot of sense for both.

[Chicagojk]

The more I thought about, the more it felt like a gimmick .... and not the best use of each player's actual skill and position.

The Mavericks have a position problem. Trying to play players out of position doesn't feel like a solution for better team play. I think the front office probably knows this.

I have really no idea what they're going to do. Maybe they try it with CF at the SG, but that doesn't feel right for him or for the team.

Itwill not be his best position.   Definately not as a rookie either.  I think though unless substantial roster moves are made, the lineups are going to be a bit awkward.   Cooper is going to be force fed a lot of creation opportunities.   I am sure he will have his ups and downs.  Although maybe just like Luka, two weeks into practice everyone looks at each other and thinks "of course he is going to have the ball".

I mean if he starts with either PJ or Klay, are any of those guys good creators?   Or secondary creators?  Depending on the point guard they look for, Cooper may be their best creator.   Ideally that would not be the case.   I also hope we don't see that AD creation we saw at the end of the year.  That was yucky.  The isoloation long twos.  Yuck.  

Question: Lets says PJ and Klay are here at the start of next season.   I am not sure either would like coming off the bench.   Who would be the better of the two to have that difficult conversation?  Klay provides spacing and is probably the better fit.  PJ could be consider the guy who will be here longer and that makes him more important.  Who knows though, maybe they are both moved.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

Itwill not be his best position.   Definately not as a rookie either.  I think though unless substantial roster moves are made, the lineups are going to be a bit awkward.   Cooper is going to be force fed a lot of creation opportunities.   I am sure he will have his ups and downs.  Although maybe just like Luka, two weeks into practice everyone looks at each other and thinks "of course he is going to have the ball".

I mean if he starts with either PJ or Klay, are any of those guys good creators?   Or secondary creators?  Depending on the point guard they look for, Cooper may be their best creator.   Ideally that would not be the case.   I also hope we don't see that AD creation we saw at the end of the year.  That was yucky.  The isoloation long twos.  Yuck.  

Question: Lets says PJ and Klay are here at the start of next season.   I am not sure either would like coming off the bench.   Who would be the better of the two to have that difficult conversation?  Klay provides spacing and is probably the better fit.  PJ could be consider the guy who will be here longer and that makes him more important.  Who knows though, maybe they are both moved.

Flagg's being our best creator is a huge problem.  This gets back to the need for a PG, way over the luxury of AD.

[Winter]

AD isn't going anywhere. Nico wouldn't trade him because it would make all his, "defense wins championships" comments completely hollow. The whole Luka trade would get exposed for what it was.... the reaction of a pouty baby who traded away a generational player because he wouldn't "behave".

[FireNicoHarrison]

AD isn't going anywhere. Nico wouldn't trade him because it would make all his, "defense wins championships" comments completely hollow. The whole Luka trade would get exposed for what it was.... the reaction of a pouty baby who traded away a generational player because he wouldn't "behave".

The lottery made all those stuffs completely hollow...

[Winter]

"The Mavericks will host Alabama center Clifford Omoruyi and Obinna Anochili-Killen for pre-draft workouts next week, sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. As Afseth notes, Dallas currently only controls one selection — No. 1 overall — in next month’s draft, but GM Nico Harrison has a history of making trades involving second-round picks. Omoruyi comes in at No. 80 on ESPN’s big board, while Onochili-Killen is unranked, so it’s possible neither player will end up being drafted."

[Chicagojk]

"The Mavericks will host Alabama center Clifford Omoruyi and Obinna Anochili-Killen for pre-draft workouts next week, sources tell Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. As Afseth notes, Dallas currently only controls one selection — No. 1 overall — in next month’s draft, but GM Nico Harrison has a history of making trades involving second-round picks. Omoruyi comes in at No. 80 on ESPN’s big board, while Onochili-Killen is unranked, so it’s possible neither player will end up being drafted."

Omoruyi (no relation to Eugene) played at Rutgers last year and is someone who I looked at last year.   Pretty much a rim running big guy.  His stats went down this past year but he was on a better team.   Not really a draftable guy.  Probably not a two way guy at this point.   Probably someone to see if you can bring him to the summer league team and potentially become a two way in time.   Probably a better player than that Sharpe guy who is 7'6 and blocks shots all the time.   

I know nothing about Killen.  As much hate as I put on the Mavs with their inactivity, they have done a decent job finding some good value that is passed over.   Some guys have just had a cup of tea in the NBA but proved to be undervalued.

[Chicagojk]

From Iztok's article today. Man, I know he has been doing both writeups for the Lakers and the Mavs. It is going to suck losing his analysis on Mavs stuff moving forward.


Awesome article by
@iztok_franko
on Cooper Flagg…. Check it out in the post below.

“If you filter college stats for players with Flagg’s combination of scoring (over 20 points per 36), assists (over 4 per 36), usage rate (above 25%), and more than 100 three-point attempts in a season, you won’t find wings. Instead, you’ll mostly see high-usage scoring primary playmaking options like Stephen Curry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard, and Ja Morant.”

[Smitty]

From Iztok's article today. Man, I know he has been doing both writeups for the Lakers and the Mavs.  It is going to suck losing his analysis on Mavs stuff moving forward. 


Awesome article by
@iztok_franko
on Cooper Flagg…. Check it out in the post below.

“If you filter college stats for players with Flagg’s combination of scoring (over 20 points per 36), assists (over 4 per 36), usage rate (above 25%), and more than 100 three-point attempts in a season, you won’t find wings. Instead, you’ll mostly see high-usage scoring primary playmaking options like Stephen Curry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard, and Ja Morant.”

Looking forward to seeing what he can do at the next level. This is why I think it's silly when people say he can't or won't play position "X".

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

AD isn't going anywhere. Nico wouldn't trade him because it would make all his, "defense wins championships" comments completely hollow. The whole Luka trade would get exposed for what it was.... the reaction of a pouty baby who traded away a generational player because he wouldn't "behave".

Nah.  It just means he wouldn't trade AD for an offense only player.

Dyson Daniels is a stud defender and only getting better.

[F Gump]

From Iztok's article today. Man, I know he has been doing both writeups for the Lakers and the Mavs.  It is going to suck losing his analysis on Mavs stuff moving forward. 


Awesome article by
@iztok_franko
on Cooper Flagg…. Check it out in the post below.

“If you filter college stats for players with Flagg’s combination of scoring (over 20 points per 36), assists (over 4 per 36), usage rate (above 25%), and more than 100 three-point attempts in a season, you won’t find wings. Instead, you’ll mostly see high-usage scoring primary playmaking options like Stephen Curry, Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard, and Ja Morant.”

I didnt have the stats, but that was my sense of things in my ideas for Flagg, that they might consider slotting him at a starting "G" aka point-forward aka primary offense creator (until Kyrie returns). While a different skill set than Luka, he's been creating offense at every level, even though he's big, and has built his game like that. 

The Mavs didnt quite see Luka as a PG at first. Was he going to be in the ilk of Bird, or Magic, all around players who could each do many things, some very flashy, but like Luka were both the size of a PF?

It's that KNOWN capacity and track record at his size that has had NBA teams eagerly awaiting the chance to get him since he was in HS.

I don't think the Mavs even want a heliocentric offense like Luka is, and would see starting players like AD, Klay, and even PJ at times as capable in starting and/or creating offense too... which means its now going to be a much easier load to fill for whoever is the primary guy.

CF obviously wouldn't have to play all 30 or so minutes in that role -- as they bring in backups, he can then be secondary creator alongside someone like Williams or Exum (or even Hardy, if for some reason he isn't traded?).

We also have to consider that presumably during the season this is NOT necessarily needing to be a TOP playoff-ready lineup (although that would be an intent) since Kyrie will be back well before the playoffs. 

I'm not stuck on CF as the point forward necessarily, but I think the Mavs will be very flexible in how they approach things and seems like an intriguing possibility. And they are building multiple lineups - this season without Kyrie, then with- as well as lineups that do or dont include PJ and Gaff in future years, so imo we should EXPECT to see a whole slew of unexpected.

[ThisIStheYear]

AD isn't going anywhere. Nico wouldn't trade him because it would make all his, "defense wins championships" comments completely hollow. The whole Luka trade would get exposed for what it was.... the reaction of a pouty baby who traded away a generational player because he wouldn't "behave".

He also won’t trade AD because the return, which won’t get any higher and will be good enough to help with a soft rebuild around CF, will still be considerably and noticeably below what he gave up to acquire him. Nico would look like even more of a fool, even if an AD trade is the right thing to do given the changing circumstances of the franchise after winning the rights to an elite player and future face of the NBA. That sort of cognitive trap Nico finds himself in is an impairment. So, even if you believe Nico is a good GM who just made one bad decision, and should keep his job, there’s just no way to trust that he can overcome the sunk cost of the AD trade and evaluate the player and his longer term fit with the team with a clear eye.

[Winter]

He also won’t trade AD because the return, which won’t get any higher and will be good enough to help with a soft rebuild around CF, will still be considerably and noticeably below what he gave up to acquire him. Nico would look like even more of a fool, even if an AD trade is the right thing to do given the changing circumstances of the franchise after winning the rights to an elite player and future face of the NBA. That sort of cognitive trap Nico finds himself in is an impairment. So, even if you believe Nico is a good GM who just made one bad decision, and should keep his job, there’s just no way to trust that he can overcome the sunk cost of the AD trade and evaluate the player and his longer term fit with the team with a clear eye.

This too. I was thinking about a "return" from an AD trade and really couldn't find anything adequate (realistically). 

Getting multiple good players for a game-changing player almost never works out. It's circle of trades leaving you with lesser talent.

[haveitall]

There are lots of good passers in the draft.  Can the Mavs buy a pick or swap second rounder: Proctor is a late 2nd pick.  Then there is Ben Saraf.  They should be looking to get younger.  Davion Mitchel would be a great free agent get.  Also if they can trade AD or Kyrie for a young top 20 player they should.

[Knutsen]

I didnt have the stats, but that was my sense of things in my ideas for Flagg, that they might consider slotting him at a starting "G" aka point-forward aka primary offense creator (until Kyrie returns). While a different skill set than Luka, he's been creating offense at every level, even though he's big, and has built his game like that. 

The Mavs didnt quite see Luka as a PG at first. Was he going to be in the ilk of Bird, or Magic, all around players who could each do many things, some very flashy, but like Luka were both the size of a PF?

It's that KNOWN capacity and track record at his size that has had NBA teams eagerly awaiting the chance to get him since he was in HS.

I don't think the Mavs even want a heliocentric offense like Luka is, and would see starting players like AD, Klay, and even PJ at times as capable in starting and/or creating offense too... which means its now going to be a much easier load to fill for whoever is the primary guy.

CF obviously wouldn't have to play all 30 or so minutes in that role -- as they bring in backups, he can then be secondary creator alongside someone like Williams or Exum (or even Hardy, if for some reason he isn't traded?).

We also have to consider that presumably during the season this is NOT necessarily needing to be a TOP playoff-ready lineup (although that would be an intent) since Kyrie will be back well before the playoffs. 

I'm not stuck on CF as the point forward necessarily, but I think the Mavs will be very flexible in how they approach things and seems like an intriguing possibility. And they are building multiple lineups - this season without Kyrie, then with- as well as lineups that do or dont include PJ and Gaff in future years, so imo we should EXPECT to see a whole slew of unexpected.

I think that probably won’t be the most successful line-up, but could be the most beneficial one long term because it would give Cooper the steepest learning curve in the first couple of months. Not unlike Lively was thrown into the fire. And everything points to Cooper being a really fast learner, so if he improves his handling, decision making and playmaking in the first couple of months because of an exaggerated guard or point forward role he‘ll be even more lethal as soon as Kyrie returns.

[Winter]

It really appears that there are two major scenarios this summer.

1. The "all-in" scenario where you make moves specifically to win next season. These might include a trade like Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, or even someone like Coby White. They will be costly either with the tax apron or draft picks or both.

2. The "hold the fort" scenario where you manage the team with less expensive PG help until Kyrie returns. The ideal being Lonzo Ball, but could include backup PG's from a multitude of teams. You hope Brandon Williams and others will keep you afloat until mid-season, and your current roster stays about the same. The rotation remains a work in progress.

How this shakes out will really be up to Nico and perhaps the owners. There are several caveats including multi-team trades and trading into the draft that could sway my opinion from one side to the other. There are also several things we don't know including how other teams value our players and some specific conditions on how other teams view their finances (and taxes).

One of the things I think we should expect is that Nico likes to move pieces around and will be active wanting to streamline the roster sometime this summer ... and he needs a win (in my opinion). We don't know if the owners have eyes on Nico or not. If they are good business people, they probably should.

Hat tip to Betty Davis here: "Fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy ride"