NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The Dallas Mavericks hit the jackpot with the No.1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. With that, was there any doubt they would not take Cooper Flagg out of Duke University? By doing so, they will be the clear favorites to make a run, if not win a title, at the end of this season.
However, all that hinges on the health of Kyrie Irving. If Irving can mend and find his way back from his current injury, the Mavericks will have one hell of a starting unit.
Think about it. Irving at PG, Klay Thompson at SG, Flagg at SF, Anthony Davis at PF, and Dereck Lively at the 5, what team can match them position by position? The offense would be scary good, but the defense, that’s another subject.
Davis and Lively alone are forces in the paint. Now, add Flagg to the fold, and the Mavericks will be hard to score on in the paint. Irving with his handles, Thompson is a sniper from long range, AD with his inside/outside game, and Lively catching lobs. Couple that with the versatility Flagg adds, and who can stop them?
But this is where a young player like Flagg is walking into the best situation any high-profile rookie could ask for. He doesn’t have to lead a team like most No. 1 picks would have to. Flagg can play the background and contribute in small doses. He won’t be looked upon as the organization’s savior for another season or two.
Paired with this veteran unit, he can make the rookie mistakes that are sure to come. He can hit the wall. He has players who can back him up and take the load and pressure off him.
While the Western Conference is loaded with teams like the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and even the Minnesota Timberwolves, it’s the Mavericks who have the most upside here. They have vets and youth. They have a coach who is coaching with a chip on his shoulder and players who want to prove that Nico Harrison made the right call regarding the Luka Doncic trade.
While the starting unit is arguably one of the best in the NBA, it’s their bench where the difference will be made. With Irving out, the Mavericks hit the free agent pool and brought in D’Angelo Russell to fill the position until he returns. Then you add in the scoring and defense of Naji Marshall, who is coming off a career year in 2024-25. There is still Dwight Powell with his hustle, Max Christie with shooting, the scoring of Jaden Hardy, the rebounding of Daniel Gafford, the defense of Caleb Martin, and last but not least, the all-around play of PJ Washington.
The first half of the season will be a bit of a struggle as they adjust to playing without Irving while he rehabs. Even if he’s out until the trade deadline, the Mavericks have enough to remain in the top 4 in the West.
But once Irving makes his debut and gets his legs under him, watch the hell out. Harrison said it best when describing why he made the blockbuster trade: “Defense wins championships,” he said. And if all goes well for the Dallas Mavericks next season, Harrison’s words may ring true when it’s all said and done.
