NBA
Insiders believe Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg could eventually play shooting guard
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated2 hours ago on September 03, 2025
After Dallas landed the #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft lottery, there was no question who the team would select. Former Duke Blue Devil Cooper Flagg was the consensus #1 pick.
The Mavericks were lucky enough to land Flagg months after GM Nico Harrison traded away All-NBA PG Luka Doncic. To start the 2025-26 season, Flagg will play small forward for Dallas. However, one league insider sees the team making a change when Kyrie Irving is healthy. Mar Stein reported Cooper Flagg could move to shooting guard at some point next season.
Cooper Flagg at shooting guard would be a cheat code for the Dallas Mavericks
“I do think that at some point that the starting lineup will be tested at some point with Cooper [Flagg] at the 2 and PJ [Washington] at the 3. I feel pretty strongly about that…”👀
– @TheSteinLine on the Mavericks’ potential starting lineup
(Via @DLLS_Mavs / h/t… pic.twitter.com/tbfrw4Vx4N
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 3, 2025
Cooper Flagg played one season collegiately at Duke before he declared for the 2025 NBA draft. In college, Flagg was named a consensus All-American, as well as winning National Player of the Year. In 37 games for the Blue Devils, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. Additionally, the 18-year-old made .385% of his three-pointers. Cooper Flagg was undoubtedly the most polished and NBA-ready player in his draft class.
To start the 2025-26 season, Cooper Flagg will likely play small forward for Dallas. The team is without Kyrie Irving, who is still recovering from an ACL tear. D’Angelo Russell will serve as the starting PG and Klay Thompson at SG. However, one NBA insider sees the starting lineup shifting when Kyrie Irving is back on the court.
📌 Marc Stein on the Mavericks’ possible lineup change.
“I think at some point the starting lineup will be tested with Cooper [Flagg] at the 2 and PJ [Washington] at the 3. I feel pretty strongly about that…”
(Via @DLLS_Mavs | h/t @NationMffl)#Sports #Nbaupdates #NBA pic.twitter.com/7mrBO2TyCs
— Hoops Updates PH (@hoopsdailyph1) September 3, 2025
Marc Stein believes Cooper Flagg will be moved to shooting guard when Kyrie Irving returns. This would give the Mavericks an incredible positional advantage. Flagg is six-foot-nine, far taller than the average two guard in the NBA. If Flagg switched from SF to SG, Stein said that P.J. Washington would then play the three. That leaves Anthony Davis at power forward and Derrick Lively at center. Stein said, “I feel pretty strongly about that.”
If Cooper Flagg took over at shooting guard, that could force Klay Thompson out of the starting lineup. The veteran was brought in to play alongside Luka Doncic. Those plans quickly changed when the team traded Doncic to the Lakers. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon noted that Klay Thompson could have an issue with his role potentially being reduced. We’ll wait and see how the season plays out for Dallas.
