This Could Take Flagg’s Game To Next Level

This Could Take Flagg’s Game To Next Level

I want to put him in the at the point guard. I want to make him uncomfortable and see how he reacts. Um, being able to run the show.
Jason Kid wants to play Cooper Flag as a point guard. Yeah, you heard that right the first time. The guy who’s supposed to be the next face of the Mavericks. Well, the plan is to throw him into the fire and make him run the offense. Okay, so let’s break this down because it’s a bit nuts. First off, Dallas has a legit point guard problem right now. Kyrie Irving is out until at least January 2026 with his ACL injury. That of course leaves a massive hole in the back court. They did sign D’Angelo Russell to stop the bleeding, but let’s be honest, DLO isn’t the answer. Lakers fans know it, and if you watched him with the Nets last season, you know it, too. The guy was coming off the worst year of his career, shooting 36.7 from the field and 29% from three on nearly seven attempts per game. His body language was bad. His defense was non-existent, and you can’t really trust him to carry a playoff team. Dallas potentially wanted Chris Paul first, but he shut them down because he wants to explore options and return to play in LA. That is if he doesn’t retire, of course. So, yeah, DLO is more of a desperation signing rather than a long-term solution. This is where Jason Kid’s wild idea comes in.
Being able to play the two, play the three. He’s he’s comfortable playing that. Um, but we want to push. Um, and I think uh he he’s going to respond in a positive way. We’re not talking about doing it as a gimmick or as a one possession thing. Nah, this is a serious plan to make Flag uncomfortable, test him under pressure, and see how much he can actually handle. And this isn’t coming out of nowhere. Kid has done this before. Back in the 201516 season, he ran the point Jiannis experiment in Milwaukee.
It’s all right to fail. It’s all right to turn the ball over. We’ve talked about that, you know, just understanding the guys that I’ve been around that have been young from Giannis.
Now, if you look back at that era, it didn’t exactly work. It wasn’t like Giannis played that role full time, but during stretches of games, kid really leaned into the idea of making Giannis the primary ball handler, and to be fair, it wasn’t a complete disaster. There were some moments where you could see the potential, but overall, the results just weren’t good enough. The Bucks’s lineups with Giannis running the show turned the ball over way too much. One example, in a lineup where Yiannis played point alongside Tyler Andis, Chris Middleton, Jabari Parker, and Greg Monroe, the team posted a turnover percentage of 18 and a half, about 5% worse than when Michael Carter Williams was running the offense. And that’s saying something because MCW was not a perfect point guard either, except for that rookie year, of course. But it becomes even clearer when you look at the scoring. The Bucks’s most used Dianis’ le lineup, which played 280 possessions, scored just 95 points per 100 possessions. Honestly, a brutal offensive number. For comparison, the Bucks’s most used lineup that season with Michael Cardio Williams averaged 114 points per 100 possessions. That’s a full 19 point gap. The problem was that Giannis was still really raw as a creator. He was most comfortable in the high post where he could isolate or make quick reads. But when he had to dribble more, operate pick and rolls or handle heavy on ball pressure, he just wasn’t ready. Simply put, his decision-making couldn’t really keep up with the responsibility. So by the next season, the experiment was basically over and Yiannis played most of his minutes at the forward/c center spots. But in a way, that uncomfortable role might have been what pushed Giannis to eventually grow into the superstar he became. Before I dive into how that could apply to Cooper Flag, just really quickly, if you enjoy these NBA stories through an overseas perspective, the things that you usually don’t hear on American channels, make sure to hit that subscribe button and become part of the community. We’re trying to build something cool here, so you be cool, too, and join the outside the MBA club. Now, let’s get back to the video. So Jason Kid wants to do the same thing with Cooper Flag. But there’s a key difference. Flag just isn’t that comparable to Giannis. Like I said, Giannis was raw, super athletic forward who thrived on physicality and open space. Flag is much more polished at this stage. He’s got a smoother shooting stroke, higher skill level, and a much more natural feel for running pick and rolls. In fact, about 20% of Flag’s offense last season at Duke came from pick and rolls where he was the ball handler. That’s why it’s not just some gimmick. He was already running the offense back in college. Flag’s pick and roll game is actually one of his biggest strengths. He’s great at making quick decisions, pulling up if defenders go under, and attacking gaps when they show up. He’s really comfortable hitting that mid-range shot out of pick and rolls. And while his three-point shooting still needs work, it’s coming along. He shot 38% from three by the end of his college season, which is a little bit more promising. But still, you got to consider the NBA line being a bit further. So, there’s going to be an adjustment period as well. Now, here’s why all of it matters. In the NBA, you can be a great passer if you’re not an offensive threat because the defense will simply ignore you. But Flag is already good enough to make defenders respect his shot, and that’s what’s going to open up passing lanes. On top of that, he’s also excellent as a screener. The way he slips screens, finds space in the short role, and reads the weak side. That’s highlevel stuff. It’s very similar to how Nicola Joic punishes teams in pick and rolls. Obviously, I’m not saying Flag is Joic, but the instincts are there. He’s unselfish, smart, and already knows how to make the right reads. The other piece of the puzzle is his transition game. Flag is an absolute monster in the open floor. He’s fast, he can push the pace, and he’s a walking coast to coast bucket. What Kid probably wants is for Flag to evolve from being just a transition scorer to a transition playmaker. That is finding teammates and generating fast break assists. So, could this point guard experiment actually work? Honestly, maybe. Flag starting point is already way better than Giannis was when Kid tried this the first time. His play style naturally leans more towards modern perimeter basketball, and the NBA spacing should help him a lot. But of course, it’s not a guaranteed success story. There are things Flag absolutely needs to improve. His ball handling still gets sloppy under pressure. He relies on spin moves a little too much, and his handle can get predictable. If he’s going to run the offense, he has to tighten that up. His finishing at the rim is another area to work on. In college, he shot just under 50% at the rim, which isn’t bad. But in the NBA with bigger, faster defenders, he’ll need to be more creative and more efficient around the basket. The worst case scenario, if Lack struggles, as Yiannis did, he can always shift back to playing more in the forward position and still become a great NBA player. But the best case scenario, you’re looking at a future superstar who could control the game as a point guard and dominate in multiple ways. Now, what makes the story even crazier is the Dallas Mavericks’s recent chaos. Like, let’s be real, this entire Cooper flag thing is only possible because the Mavs won the lottery with a 1.8% chance. Mass’s GM Nico Harrison came out afterwards acting like this was all part of his grand plan, which has the internet absolutely roasting him. Zack Low literally blasted Nico for pretending like he orchestrated this. And now it’s Cooper Flag. And there is no vision unless he’s an oracle of some kind. And then the whole NBA is in trouble because a supernatural being has entered the league. There’s no vision that includes, you know what we’re going to do? We’re going to lose in the playin and win the lottery in the Cooper flag year. Not the Zachary Reese year, the Cooper flag year with a 1.8% chance of doing it. And then the fans will see my vision. Fans are saying Nico traded Luca for pennies, gave away Quentyn Grimes, signed DLo, failed to tank properly, and somehow still got gifted the number one pick. Some are saying that Nico knew Kyrie would get hurt. Maybe he planned this all along. But let’s be honest, it probably wasn’t a plan. It was just luck. There’s also this vibe among Mavs fans that now Nico is just walking around and gaslighting everybody. Like he’s pretending that this disaster of a season is part of his vision. Oh, and as you know, many people firmly believe that this was the NBA’s plan to get Luca to the Lakers and give Mav’s Cooper flag as compensation. Of course, that’s all conspiracy talk, but the way that Nikico’s been acting, he’s actually feeding that narrative. He even dropped this weird emotional letter about Kyrie’s injury, saying he quote unquote lived it with Kobe. Oh, I wish I could just give him some advice, like, Nico, whatever you’re doing, man, is just not working. Just stop. All of this makes the Cooper flag plan even more fascinating. Honestly, I’m really curious to see if Kit sticks with this point guard experiment or if it’s just offseason talk that fades by November. Because if they do actually go through with this and give Flag real reps as the lead guard, it could either blow up spectacularly or it could make him one of one NBA superstar. But what do you think? Can Cooper Flag actually pull this off? or is this just the maps throwing stuff at the wall because that’s their thing now? Drop those thoughts in the comments below. As always, don’t forget to hit the like button if you enjoyed this video and subscribe for more NBA takes through an overseas lens.

The Dallas Mavericks might have a shocking plan for Cooper Flagg’s rookie season. With Kyrie Irving out and no clear point guard solution, Jason Kidd is reportedly considering playing Flagg as a point guard. Could this bold experiment actually work? Let’s break down the Mavericks’ current roster, their point guard dilemma, and why Jason Kidd believes Cooper Flagg can handle this unique role.

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