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3 hours ago
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Duke Blue Devils basketball star Cooper Flagg is reportedly open to playing at the small forward spot in the NBA, which is good news for any Mavs fan who appreciates the potential of adding the 2025 NBA draft’s No. 1 overall pick to the current roster.
That could prevent the Dallas Mavericks from needing to trade Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and/or Derek Lively III.
“Players with Flagg's talent and all-around skillset are incredibly rare and enable teams to play non-traditional lineups. Because he is an elite catch-and-shoot threat, shooting 38 percent on such shots at Duke, and has a mature cutting and finishing game similar to Aaron Gordon's, he will be able to excel offensively in lineups with Davis at the four and Daniel Gafford or Derek Lively II at the five,” the Smoking Cuban’s Sam Allred wrote.
“Kidd should look to replicate Vogel's approach to balancing Davis's playstyle and the team's needs. Playing jumbo lineups with Flagg, Davis, and a traditional center would make everyone happy. Flagg sees himself as a small forward, Davis prefers playing power forward, and now the Mavs don't need to trade one of their frontcourt options.”
Flagg showed the ability to play point forward at Duke at times. If he can continue to develop as a playmaker, perhaps Mavs coach Jason Kidd can go even bigger with his lineups.
Playing Flagg, Davis, Lively, and Gafford at the same time in a jumbo lineup could theoretically happen in small spurts, given the skillsets involved.
Of course, Nico Harrison may eventually spread the spending across the depth chart. Typically, teams want higher-paid guards and wings and save at the center spot. Dallas is noticeably stocked with frontcourt talent compared to most modern NBA teams.
For now, though, Flagg’s arrival could keep things simple because of how much he can do on the floor.
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