2025 draft thread: THE MAVS SELECT COOPER FLAGG

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

My preferred summer doesn't really align with or satisfy most of the opinions here, but it's very much in the vein of these recent posts.

The moves are mostly simply ones, not splashy, and basically would IN TOTAL see the Mavs get Ball and send away Martin, Hardy, and DP. Re-sign Jones (multi-year minimum with TO or NG at end) and Exum (2 yrs 9M). Kyrie re-signs at 3/120.

That's 14. The 15th spot is probably left open, for development and flexibility, and there's still room to spend TxMLE, more or less, and stay below A2.

In the summer they sign PJW to a 3-4 year extension (maybe 20M/yr?) and Gafford to a 2-3 yr extension (maybe 15M/yr?), with a plan to have a big rugged team that wears you down and has the opportunity to grow together. Their PG plan uses lots of combo type guards to create offense, with some big enough to play and defend at SG, but no one to be heliocentric. Kyrie returns in time, but in the meantime some mix-and-match of Klay, Flagg (a point-forward, actually, but starting like Luka's NBA time did with the ball in his hands a lot and a vagueness as to his position), Williams, Ball, Exum. Don't quibble about the details but recognize they definitely would have no problem filling the overall G rotation with good players.

They end up comfortably under A2 with flexibility and a very manageable payroll future.

The end result looks like this:
Starters  ---- main backups ---- deep backups to start season
C - Lively ---- Gafford ---- Jones
F - AD, PJW ---Naji --- Prosper
G - CF, Klay ---Williams, Christie, Ball, Exum --Kyrie eventually

Starting CF at SG essentially is partly because I think he can play that position and present HUGE problems to the opponent on both ends at that position, and also to ensure he gets enough minutes. But if he never plays a minute at G, there's still more than enough good guards to handle their needs.

There's options to go big, small, depth to deal with injuries, and lots of very good talent at every position. And most importantly to me, it doesn't take an impossible get by trade from another team, nor impossible salary-shedding gymnastics.

Excellent post, as usual, F Gump.

YES!  The Lively/Gafford two headed monster is a differentiator from the rest of the league.  I love how they compliment each other.

Great comp of Flagg to Luka, a less ball dominant player who can defend.  I like him at SF, point forward.  Do you think that SG may be a stretch?

That'd open up for a PF rotation of AD/PJ.  Another two-headed monster.  Maybe keeping AD at around 24mins would really help the injuries?

Ball, Williams, Exum (Kyrie in Jan)
Christie, Klay
Flagg, Naji, OMax
AD, PJ, Jones
Lively, Gafford

That's a stout 14 man roster.  I wonder, though, could AD be moved for a true PG?  Dejounte Murray, send AD back to NOP?