Mavericks Thrust Rookie Cooper Flagg Into Starting Point Guard

Merlin sees the Mavericks are handing rookie Cooper Flagg the keys to the offense immediately — “There’s no easing in, there’s no dipping his toe in the water,” as ESPN’s Tim MacMahon put it. With Kyrie Irving sidelined, Dallas plans to list Flagg at point guard and likely start him alongside Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II, bringing D’Angelo Russell off the bench. The move is born of necessity: the lineup promises length and defense, but it only works if Flagg can make plays. Merlin notes Jason Kidd’s confidence — “I thought he could do those things” — and remembers Flagg’s 4.2 assists per game at Duke. It’s a bold baptism by fire: high upside as a scorer, facilitator and disruptor on defense, but a steep learning curve against NBA bodies. His first real test is Wednesday against Victor Wembanyama.