One hot topic early in the 2025-26 season has been the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to utilize this season’s first pick, Cooper Flagg, as their starting point guard. Despite playing the forward position during his celebrated one-and-done season at Duke, Mavs head coach Jason Kidd has curiously tapped Flagg to be their point guard.
Although the Mavs haven’t had superstar big man Anthony Davis for the last few games, their 2-6 start is indicative of the team’s early struggles. Worst of all, with Flagg at the one, the Mavericks have the league’s worst offensive rating, generating only 103.5 points per 100 possessions.
Several former NBA players and pundits, including Chandler Parsons, have raised their eyebrows at Kidd experimenting with Flagg, and the latest to join the chorus is Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, who said the Mavs are playing with fire, as this can compromise the young player’s confidence.
The most demanding position in the NBA
There’s no question what the most demanding position in the NBA is: it’s the point guard. While some may think being a PG means simply passing the ball to teammates, there’s a lot more to the position than meets the eye. Being a dependable court general means having a high basketball IQ, excellent playmaking skills, knowledge of both teammates and opponents, and the ability to control the tempo of the game.
As one of the greatest PGs in NBA history, Kidd knows what it takes to succeed at the position, so it’s even more curious why he’s placing Flagg in unfamiliar territory.
“He’s a rookie, right? He doesn’t really know the NBA game. He’s just now learning the NBA game,” Dray said on his podcast.
“He’s the point guard. I’m not really sure he knows how Klay Thompson can help him, and I’m not sure he knows how to get AD involved—what spots AD likes the ball. I’m not sure he even knows where he likes the ball. Again, those are all growing pains of a rookie, right?” the fiery forward continued.
Klay Thompson is clearly on the downside of his career. However, even on his worst day, he remains a lethal spot-up shooter who made 39.1 percent of his three-pointers last season. This season, however, Klay has been in a shooting slump (34.2 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from three-point range) that has led to his removal from the starting lineup.
Dray, though, believes his former teammate just isn’t getting the ball at the right spots at the right moment, a responsibility that falls squarely on the point guard’s shoulders.
“Klay Thompson hasn’t been able to do much. He doesn’t have a point guard. Especially at this point in his career, having a point guard to set him up and get great looks is important,” he stated. “Without having a point guard, I’m not sure that Cooper Flagg really knows how Klay Thompson can help him.”
Confidence is key
Despite Flagg’s prodigious skills, people often overlook the fact that he is an 18-year-old playing in a league populated by veteran players. At this point in his career, just a few games into being a pro, it is safe to say that Cooper is still developing and building his confidence level. Green cautioned that playing him out of position could do more harm than good.
“I think the one thing I would say about starting Cooper Flagg at point guard is you just have to be careful. It’s not his real position,” Green quipped. “You’ve got to be careful with playing him at point guard. I understand the thinking behind it, but the last thing you want is for him to lose his confidence trying to play point guard. Because once you lose your confidence in this league, it’s nearly impossible to get it back.”
Dray clarified that he believes in Coop’s potential. However, it will take proper guidance to ensure he blossoms in the big league.
“It’s not that I don’t think Cooper Flagg’s going to be great. I think Cooper Flagg’s going to be incredible. But we’re asking a rookie, who’s not a point guard, to be a great point guard. And that’s just not how this works,” he assessed.
With averages of 13.4 points on 39.4 percent shooting, Flagg’s rookie season is off to a rough start. Fortunately, there’s an eternity of basketball left to be played and plenty of time for growth.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Nov 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
