Mavs can ‘absolutely not’ contend in the West despite drafting Cooper Flagg | FIRST THINGS FIRST

Mavs can ‘absolutely not’ contend in the West despite drafting Cooper Flagg | FIRST THINGS FIRST

From New York, the
show that is accepting wagers on DraftKings
for the over under time of the show when Brou
mistakenly calls Cooper Flagg. Cooper Rush. Cooper DeJean or who else. Cooper Kupp. Cooper Kupp. When did Cooper
become so popular. When did that name
become so popular. A couple years ago. I didn’t know any Cooper’s, but
now they’re all over the place. Here’s the thing. Typically, when
this happens, it’s because there was a
Super famous first one Yeah The fact that you’re
Mr. Cooper for some reason, I don’t know. But for you, it’s Cooper Rush. And you know why. Because deep down, he wanted
Cooper Rush to stay the Cowboys quarterback that year. Remember, he didn’t have that
take, but some people did. Cooper Flagg. I’m not going to make 12. We’re starting with the
NBA draft Cooper Flagg. My guy since he’s from Maine
and grew up a Patriots fan drafted by the Mavs. He joins a team with
three Hall of Fame players yet to gel together
in full since Lukas. Lukas departure. No rush. Potential starting 5
when everyone is healthy. Yeah not. Cooper Clay AD. Kyrie Kyrie. Well, when everybody’s healthy,
when everybody’s out Kyrie. And then PJ Washington
I would imagine is either Lively
Lively or Gafford. Yeah can Mavs
contend in the West. Absolutely not. Not this year. And I think that
I’m shocked at folks that the people are talking
about Kyrie for this season. Like well you know he does
have an injury history. It’s not an injury history. He had ACL surgery
in late March. He is going to be out at
least until the all-Star break and maybe longer. He’s saying what he’s
shooting for January all-stars in February. Yeah So let’s call if he
is back the first game after the all-Star break. It’s a huge success. You know what I mean. And so what. And even when that happens,
I don’t think you’re going to get full blown Kyrie. What you’re going to have in the
meantime is a Super talented, do it all 18-year-old who is
the only guy on the team except for maybe Max
Christie who can be a playmaker ball
Handler like so they they’re going to have to go. Of course, they’re going
to have to go get somebody. But it’s not like they
have a ton of cap space. It’s not like they’re going
to get a bunch of impact guys. A guy who maybe it could
have been Quentin Grimes was another one of the Nico
moves of the offseason. I’m not sure if maybe that
helped him get Cooper Flagg too, but which actually probably
did because Grimes. Grimes was good. I believe if Anthony Davis stays
at the level he’s at, if Cooper Flagg is the player everyone
thinks he’s going to be, at least to most degree,
you know what I mean. Which is very, very good. Clearly the deserving
number one pick. And if Kyrie recovers
well from his ACL, I think they can contend in
year two for Cooper Flagg. But asking a rookie Brou to be
a young rookie at that, to be the primary ball Handler creator
on a team with championship aspirations, it’s simply
only time it’s ever happened is with Magic Johnson. And he had Kareem, who with
respect to Anthony Davis, Anthony Davis is not. So no, I do not think they
can contend in the West at all this year down the road. Sure yeah I’m surprised
so many people have said they’re talking about the Mavs. Like Kyrie’s not hurt. That’s what I’m saying. You’re talking about it and I
am look I am totally skeptical about the Philadelphia 49ers
because of their health I’m not that far on the Mavericks. But there is a little
of that like right now Kyrie will be back
whenever February, January. And like Nick said, I’m not
convinced he’s going to come right in and be the old Kyrie. It might take him the
rest of next season that he plays to get
back to his former self. And remember, he’ll be 34
when the playoffs start. So that’s another thing
you just got to throw in there that he will be older. In addition to coming
off the injury. I love their roster
when healthy. Like if you told me Kyrie’s
coming back in February and he’s going to
be the old Kyrie. Anthony Davis is going
to stay healthy all year throughout the playoffs. Then I would think they’re
going to be a contender. I mean, I really do
I really I’m not. I think obviously
OKC is at number one. But I would put him
right there with Houston and the Lakers and Denver
and all the Minnesota, all these other teams. If they’re healthy and
Kyrie is back to form. But I just that’s
a hard I mean I’m not only am I worried about
Kyrie re being his old self next year. I’m worried about Addy. I just. How am I supposed to definitely
pencil in Anthony Davis for health the entire season. I also think people are
setting Cooper Flagg up totally unfairly to be disappointing. Yeah, Michael Jordan averaged
28 a game his rookie year, and they won 38 games. But he didn’t have a guy
like an Anthony Davis. I understand he
went to a bad team. But he also was in three years
in college and four years old, or 3 and 1/2 years
older than Flagg is. Bron went to a bad team, was
unbelievable as a rookie. They won in the seconds. I think it was that. It is rookies in this league,
no matter how great they are. Haven’t really impacted winning
at a championship level since. Magic top talent
right and top higher than Anthony Davis around him. Like we have this is the
league is different now though. We just saw the
second youngest team. I was saying all year
OKC is not going to win it because they’re so young. We saw what they did. They beat another team
that’s young young like. And the way you know
what else you’re seeing. You’re seeing a lot of guys. And this has no bearing
on Cooper Flagg. But a lot of guys that
weren’t like great I mean, they were great. But guys that weren’t
expected to be great. Jalen Brunson you know
becoming superstars that that. So that speaks to me. That’s about the 3 point line
and the way the game is played now that is opened it
up for a lot of players to if you keep
working on your shot and working on certain
skills, you can actually have a place in this league.
We’re going to get to that. Before that wasn’t the case. We’re going to get to
the Spurs in the B block, but I’ll throw this back to you. We collectively felt a
little bit frustrated, or at least maybe I did. I’m speaking for you guys. I felt frustrated with
the Spurs timeline that they had really
0 interest in winning, and they wanted to bring
Wemby along nice and slow, put him on a
minutes restriction, you give him time
off, all of that. Even last year I was like,
all right, time to go. Still, they have a very
long horizon for Wemby do you think even us asking
this question, Nico saying we were going to win in the
next two to three years. Anthony Davis
probably antsy to win. Kyrie antsy to win. Prove that he deserves this
new contract actually can hurt Cooper Flagg’s development. Well one I think those are two
completely different situations. Like I understand why the
Spurs no no no I mean, if he had Anthony Davis
and Kyrie Irving there it would be win now. And I think this year it
wasn’t win now this year. But it was this year. They were expecting
to take a bigger jump. But he got hurt. And they just don’t have the
players that are anywhere near what Dallas
has as far as that’s what we talked about yesterday. I won’t say hinder
his his development. He won’t be the guy. Although I said with
Kyrie out with Kyrie out he gets a chance the ball. He’s got the best
of both worlds. Well they may go get I mean
they’re starting D’Angelo Russell Chris Paul
whatever Chris Paul would be interesting
I think that might be smart to bring him in. But I don’t think I
don’t think Cooper’s going to be playing like
LeBron early in his career. Like I don’t think he’s or Luka. I don’t think he’s going
to have the ball like that. No, but he is going to be, I
believe, their primary initiator and he’s going to go through
growing pains like I. And that’s what he
is supposed to do. Like DraftKings has his over
under for points per game his rookie year set dead at 17. Like that’s right. You and you and I both
independently yesterday came up with we assumed
around 18 5 and 6. We both wrote it down and
those were both of us landed. And while Wildes justifiably
pokes fun at Brou and my’s historical
NBA brains, it’s because of that that don’t come
into the league and average 25. You certainly don’t come
into the league in average 25 on a good team. Like your only chance
is on a terrible team. And I just look at the West and
I say OKC Houston the Lakers Denver Golden State Minnesota
I would be shocked if Dallas is better than any of those six. Barring those teams, you losing
a guy due to Major injury. And I just put them with
the Clippers and the Spurs as in that 7 through 9. You know what I mean. Do you agree with
me that like I said, if AD was definitely
going to be healthy late in the year playoffs
and Kyrie was going to be the old Kyrie, definitely. And they stay healthy, that
they would be contenders. Contenders meaning can
make round two in the West. Sure contenders
meaning win the West. No, because I don’t think AD and
Kyrie and a good supporting cast is enough. I do think that’s
why I said in year 2, because if Cooper Flagg is
the guy who stars in year two can impact winning, they can. You Luka made his first
All NBA team in year two. Bron did. Jordan might have
made year one, but I know he made it in year two. Like you can impact
winning no year two. Jordan was hurt, but
his second year starting or playing full like you can. So I think for the
Mavs the season after this one is
what the focus is on. I also think it’s why
they resigned Gafford. They resigned Kyrie. They want to keep this
crew together when Cooper knows what he’s doing. He’ll be 18. He’ll turn 19 a week
before Christmas. I mean he’s the youngest
kid in the draft. He’s not just a rookie. He is a young young rookie. I think he’s like about
100 days older than LeBron when LeBron got drafted. No no no. The LeBron turned 19th
December 30 his rookie year. He will turn 19th December
something rookie year. He’s like two weeks
older than LeBron. So yeah so not currently though. No no correct. Because LeBron’s like 40. Good good point. Good job. Mavs GM Nico Harrison
had a bumpy few months but his Cup is full
since the Mavs won the lottery despite
having less than a 2% chance at the top spot. Nico, stick your chest out. You gotta put that
bass in your voice. You gotta be kidding me. I’m not kidding. Call it luck, cause
that’s what it was. That’s fortune. Call him blessed. But this might be behind him. Nick if. Cooper Flagg. He almost did it. He almost did it. And I said 312 is 313. He almost did it. If Cooper Flagg is what
some people expect, I think he’s at least a star. Most people, a lot of
people are saying superstar. I think, Nick, a lot of people,
I haven’t heard them connected compared to each other. But I feel like a lot
of people think he he he might be a Luka Doncic. Now, I don’t necessarily
although some people certainly think he’s a little more down on
Luka now than I was a year ago. And so if he becomes a legit
superstar again, I get it. Nico got lucky,
but he got lucky. If this guy is all that and
then with what he built, like they could really be good. So I know it was like I
said, it was pure luck. And I would I’m on the record
for as killing that trade and I would kill it,
you again and again. However, here’s the thing, Nick. When he first when the
trade was first made, there were three
things against it. One, Luka is just phenomenal. Yeah, right. All right. A generational talent. All right. Two you had he gave you a great
chance to win the championship. Like the best chance you
had to win the championship. And three was that even if you
didn’t win the championship, he’s going to be a superstar
for the next decade and you’re going to be must see. TV fans are going to be
flocking to your big story. Now with them getting
Cooper Flagg with Kyrie and add only one of
those is definite. Now the one he’s Luka is still
a phenomenal player, of course. But does he give you did that
team last year with Luka have a better chance of winning a
championship than when these three are all like next
year with Cooper two years ago with Cooper, I don’t. And then the third thing is, if
Cooper is what people expect, get them for the two years. Yeah, you got him now. Now your must see TV and
fans are flocking, right. So what’s the big deal. And I’m not convinced. Yeah I mean, hold on. They got Cooper Flagg
if I go to Kevin Wildes. Yeah And I say,
listen, everyone’s going to say this is crazy,
but you have to trust me. Liquidate all your assets. Everything put a second
mortgage on your house. Put all your money
in this stock. Crypto it’s. And I. And I’m telling you or. Yeah, sure. Whatever I’m telling
you in the next year you’re going to 10x it. And you listen to me. And it not only does not 10x,
but it goes down to where you have $50 left to your name. Tough one. And I’m. And I told you this
isn’t a long term thing. This is right now. And you are so despondent. You take that $50 out and you
spend it on Powerball tickets, and then you hit the
lottery and you win the Powerball for 800 million. It saves you it. I don’t get credit
for the advice when Nico Harrison trades Luka. And if he had traded Luka and
this was the press conference, he was like, listen,
I know the fans aren’t going to want to hear this, but
I’m going to tell you guys this. We thought the finals
last year were a mirage. We did not think we were
a championship level team, and we think that there is a
chance this year with this trade we might. Anthony Davis is injured. We just traded for him. He’s going to take
his time to come back. We might end up in the lottery. We’re OK with that
because we are trying to build something sustainable. We need another piece. We’re going to get that
in this year’s draft in some way, shape, or form. And we are going to build
something sustainable because Luka Doncic
is a fat alcoholic and we don’t trust him. And then that plan
ends up being, oh my God, we thought
it was going to be the 11th or the 15th pick. It’s the first pick. Then he can puff
his chest out when he goes to that press
conference Brou and says, our timeline is what he said. What does Rob Pelinka get
credit for getting Luka. What kind of. I don’t really give
him a lot of credit, but do you know how many
GMs and coaches got lucky. I understand in this
league I understand that. But when these are
the only reason the Mavs made a trade they
said was to be a contender. Now, this moment,
shorter timeline. It was so ass backwards. They in the now contend because
they traded for a player who got injured and then they who
was already other star player got injured. And I get it because
they can get injured. You know I figured
they get injured. I’m just saying if
those two stay healthy, they would have
been a contender. Or at least a very
good playoff team. OK, maybe, but the fact of the
matter is, he told us his plan. His plan was
contending right now. He then in in service of
that plan in my opinion. They rushed Anthony Davis back. He got hurt. Once he gets hurt Kyrie Irving
because he’s the only ball Handler left on the team, starts
playing more minutes than he had at any point in his
veteran phase of his career. He gets hurt. They still go for it. They’re in the play in
winning a play in game. Trying to avoid the lottery. They then lose that game, which
is the only reason they had any picks and they got lucky. I’m happy for their fans. The idea that this
guy gets to say. Fortune favors the bold when
ending up in the lottery was his worst case
scenario is laughable. Was he bold. Wrong but bold right. Yes What was it. Fortune OK. Fortune I’m just
saying, I get it. But if we go down Sam
who drafted Kevin Durant. Presti Presti OK. He gets credit for it right. Oh you mean because he
would have taken Greg Oden. I don’t know if that’s
true I think he would. Almost every GM in the
league was saying they would have taken Greg Oden. I Presti it was like one that
was saying they weren’t sure. So I’m just saying
like and I get it. I’m not saying Nico
Harrison is Sam Presti I’m just saying if they
were why haven’t they fired him. If I was running that team
and that was Nico’s decision. I’d have fired him already. I would. Have fired him. Seeing the way the fans just
totally turned on the franchise, why did you keep him. Maybe because it was
ownership’s idea to. Or exclusively. I know that that is something. Why isn’t he fired then, Nick. I mean, seriously, honestly, he
just made a horrendous trade. I think he’s not fired. Because if I if I must give you
my honest answer because I think ownership is out
to lunch, I think ownership, the actual ownership
of the Dallas Mavericks, is in the Casino business. And they are so in the Casino
business they gave this job to who always gets the prime
jobs in any regal families, the son-in-law. And so they’re like,
hey, you handle that. And the son-in-law got
hypnotized by a really cool, good looking guy who has
great stories about Kobe Bryant and other NBA stars. And it’s like, this is awesome. And this guy told me,
Luka doesn’t work hard. Unlike the greats Larry Bird and
Shaquille O’Neal, who were known for sobriety and hard
work in the offseason when even if that’s the case,
I don’t think that’s the case. But even if that is
the case, that’s fine. If that’s the case, when you
see the reaction, when you see every GM, every
pundit saying that was the worst trade
I’ve ever seen. When you see your
fans having funerals outside, when you hear them
chanting fire Nico firing you. Why in the world
wouldn’t you fire him. Because they
immediately cosine it. Because you are. Because immediately, immediately
after they came out and said, Dumont came out and said,
yeah, we stand by Nico. We agree. We think Luka doesn’t
have the work ethic. That’s plenty of people who’ve
gotten votes of confidence have been fired. And my point is this my
ultimate point is this it might actually work out for him. Now again. I said it at the start. Luck for sure. But this might. I just don’t think. And he’s done other good things. I think you should puff
your chest out about luck, is my point.

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg 1st overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. Nick Wright, Chris Broussard, and Kevin Wildes ask if the Mavericks can contend in the Western Conference this season. Plus, they discuss Mavericks GM Nico Harrison saying that “fortune favors the bold” due to him acquiring the 1st overall pick after trading Luka Doncic.

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Mavs can ‘absolutely not’ contend in the West despite drafting Cooper Flagg | FIRST THINGS FIRST
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