The Dallas Mavericks will build around the Cooper Flag as the cornerstone for next season.
The number one pick in the 2025 NBA Draft will become the franchise’s new face, even superstar caliber players like Anthony Davis on the roster.
The Mavericks’ roster is one of the most interesting combinations in the NBA next season.
They feature Flag as a young cornerstone along with veteran stars such as Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson.
ESPN analyst Tim McMahon believes the Mavericks will struggle to cope with this unique roster structure.
The challenge is to balance experienced veterans with future stars like Cooper Flag.
“It’s going to be an interesting season. I think it’s going to be a very up and down season kind. And it’s a difficult team to evaluate because it’s a team that’s currently in the Window’s victory, but they drafted the talent of the 18-year-old generation with the top pick,” explained McMahon.
Analysts specifically highlighted potential issues with role adjustment. Players like Thompson were brought in with certain expectations that could not match the Flag-centric attack scheme.
“Like Klay Thompson was brought in and played to provide Luka’s spacing and get a wide range of open shots.
McMahon’s concerns particularly focus on Thompson’s ability to embrace potentially diminished roles.
The veteran guard struggled last season with only 14 points, 2.0 assists and 3.4 rebounds per 3.4 games.
“A guy with a resume and a pride, if you’re asking him to get off the bench, I don’t know if that’s going to be great,” McMahon added.
The decline in Thompson’s numbers reflects a broader question about aging veterans adapting to the new system.
If the Flag-centric setup doesn’t match the optimal role of a veteran player, similar production could drop next season.
The Mavericks face the challenge of maximizing both the potential for immediate championships and long-term development.