Should We Be Worried About Cooper Flagg? The Mavericks Might Be Fumbling a Generational Talent

Should We Be Worried About Cooper Flagg? The Mavericks Might Be Fumbling a Generational Talent 😬

It’s early, but the alarms are getting louder in Dallas.

The Cooper Flagg era was supposed to mark a rebirth a new dawn for a franchise trying to recover from the Luka Dončić trade and restore its identity. The No. 1 pick. The most hyped prospect since LeBron. The future cornerstone. Yet just a few weeks into his rookie season, something already feels… off.

The question nobody wanted to ask this soon suddenly feels unavoidable: Are the Mavericks setting Cooper Flagg up to fail?

The Setup Gone Wrong

When the Mavericks lucked into the No. 1 pick, it was easy to imagine the dream scenario: a young superstar surrounded by veterans, learning the ropes, playing off the ball, attacking downhill, thriving next to a capable floor general. Instead, head coach Jason Kidd threw the rookie into the deep end at point guard.

Yes, point guard.

For a player whose natural gifts revolve around movement, anticipation, and versatility, the decision is baffling. Flagg isn’t being eased into the NBA; he’s being force-fed an impossible role. He’s not a pure ball-handler yet, and Kidd knows it. The result? A chaotic offense that puts Flagg in the middle of every problem and none of his strengths.

As one analyst put it bluntly: “Every time Cooper Flagg dribbled the ball, every time he tried to get around a defender, he failed.”

And that wasn’t hyperbole the tape backs it up. Flagg struggled to create separation against even middling defenders, looked tentative bringing the ball up, and rarely found clean driving lanes.

This isn’t player development. It’s trial by fire in a thunderstorm.

The Flashes Are Still There

And yet, amid the awkward fit, you can see why Dallas fell in love with him.

When Kidd actually lets him run the wing or fill the lane in transition, Flagg looks like a different player explosive, instinctive, relentless. He’s cutting hard, getting to the line, and finishing through contact. He’s already shooting over 80% from the free throw line, showing that smooth stroke and unshakable confidence that made him such a high school phenom.

But here’s the irony: the Mavericks keep putting him in positions where those strengths can’t shine. Flagg looks better whenever someone else handles the ball when he’s paired with D’Angelo Russell or even Ryan Nembhard, his movement opens the floor, and his defense fuels transition breaks.

This is the version of Cooper Flagg the NBA was promised  the one Dallas seems to be hiding from itself.

The Kidd Conundrum

This isn’t the first time Jason Kidd’s rotations have drawn scrutiny. From the JaVale McGee experiment to the team’s strange usage of rookies in past seasons, Kidd’s history of “proving points” sometimes overshadows what’s best for development.

And in a year where the Mavericks desperately need stability, the message feels unclear: Is this about winning, or about winning his way?

Let’s not forget Kidd’s infamous quote from last season:

“I don’t wanna be the one buying the groceries. Just give me the groceries and I’ll figure it out.”

Now, with Luka gone and a roster full of new faces, it feels like Kidd has been handed both the groceries and the receipt  and the results look spoiled.

A Critical Choice Ahead

No one’s calling Cooper Flagg a bust  far from it. But what’s happening now could shape his entire career trajectory. Playing out of position might toughen him mentally, but it also risks eroding the confidence and instincts that make him special.

If the Mavericks want to protect their investment, they need to stop experimenting and start nurturing. Let Flagg play as a forward. Give him spacing. Let him learn beside a real point guard. Let him be Cooper Flagg.

The clock is ticking.

The Mavericks aren’t just developing a rookie  they’re shaping the foundation of their next decade. If they don’t figure this out soon, the question won’t be “Should we be worried?” It’ll be “Can Cooper Flagg reach his potential in Dallas at all?”

Because sometimes, the scariest part of a rebuild isn’t losing games  it’s watching talent get wasted in plain sight.

The Mavericks don’t need Cooper Flagg to be their savior. They just need to stop making him their science project.