Point guard Jason Kidd’s move to Cooper Flagg is updated
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd started Cooper Flagg at fullback in the team’s last two games. The move gave Dallas an extremely large starting lineup — as Flagg started alongside Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, Anthony Davis and Derek Lively II in Wednesday’s 121-94 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. however, D’Angelo Russell is also on the list. The Mavs will have to decide whether Flagg or Russell will start at point guard in Wednesday’s season opener against the San Antonio Spurs.
“There are a lot of good, positive stories here, so we have time to make a decision,” Kidd he said after the victory via Lakers, via ESPN’s Tim McMahon.
Turning to veteran Russell makes sense. He is a veteran combo guard who is more than capable of handling point guard duties. However, his defensive issues would take away from the Mavericks’ defensive approach on the perimeter.
If Flagg were to start in the backfield, Thompson would be the team’s only questionable defender in the starting lineup. Thompson was once a reliable two-way player, but his defense has suffered ups and downs in recent years following multiple injuries.
There are legitimate arguments for starting Flagg or Russell at the spot to start the new campaign. If Flagg gets the nod, Russell will lead the second unit. If Kidd goes with Russell, Flagg will likely start at small forward with Thompson and Russell in the backcourt.
In any case, expectations are extremely high for Flagg — the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
2025-10-16 14:48:00
