How the Mavericks have to solve the big problem surrounding Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks were defeated by the Detroit Pistons 122-110 on Saturday night, dropping the Mavs’ record to 2-4 to start the 2025-26 NBA season. Cooper Flagg continues to start at point guard — a move many have questioned because it’s not a rookie’s natural position. Flagg certainly enjoyed some impressive moments so far, but Dallas would clearly benefit from a true point guard on the roster. Head coach Jason Kidd recently explained the decision to put Flagg at point guardvia Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

“There are a few things behind him when he plays point guard,” Kidd he told reporters in Mexico City. “One is our health. . . . Coming out of training camp, we had a lot of injuries, so we can have Cooper handle the ball. . . . The other part of ball handling is being able to handle the pressure when April comes and you’re playing for something bigger. Just having that experience early is a blessing.”

Having another ball handler doesn’t hurt the situation, but Flagg shouldn’t start at point guard for a winning team. Kidd’s decision is ostensibly a team rebuilding decision — yet Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison traded former point guard Luka Doncic in a game-winning move to add more defense.

The strategy doesn’t match Harrison’s plan—at least on paper. Starting a veteran like D’Angelo Russell while Flagg played the three would probably give Dallas the best chance to win right now. However, Russell is a combo guard. Even Kyrie Irving — who is expected to return in either late 2025 or early 2026 — played more of a two-back role alongside Doncic before the trade last season.

Do the Mavericks need a real point guard?

In today’s NBA, the point guard position isn’t necessarily what it used to be. Pass-first guards like Chris Paul, Stephen Nash, and even Jason Kidd once defined the league. Now, many point guards — like Doncic — can score with the best players in the NBA. However, the best point guards in today’s game are still exceptional when it comes to setting up attacks, leading and finding open teammates.

Dallas would benefit from bringing in a true point guard, which Kidd could understand since he is a Hall of Famer. Whether it’s through trade, free agency or the NBA draft, Dallas needs to get Cooper Flagg someone who can consistently help him look better. The current Mavericks roster hasn’t done a good job of helping Flagg, but part of that is on the coaching staff due to Flagg’s role as one of the primary play-calling guards.

The point guard experiment is understandable, but it’s not a move he can win. At 2-4, the Mavericks have to ask themselves if they envision the team being a legitimate contender this year. Either way, going out and adding a point guard will not only help Flagg, but help the overall roster.