Mavericks' insane starting lineup is just crazy enough to work

Over the final two preseason games, the Dallas Mavericks utilized a massive starting lineup of Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II, and this starting five may actually be crazy enough to work despite early skepticism.

Over the summer, Jason Kidd made it clear that he wanted Flagg to play point guard, but no one suspected that it would be like this. Flagg played plenty of point guard for the Mavericks during Summer League, but this experiment turned into a reality in Dallas' preseason expeditions.

Kidd is clearly intrigued by playing Flagg at point guard, and him continuing with this plan could end up paying major dividends. Kidd was instrumental in helping Giannis Antetokounmpo develop better guard skills during his time coaching with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he has shown his belief in Flagg's ability to run the show by what he says, as well as his coaching decisions, all summer long.

Mavericks could actually roll with the point Cooper Flagg lineup

On Saturday, Kidd spoke about his comfort in allowing Flagg play point guard, and although he always keeps his cards close to his chest and typically doesn't reveal starting lineups, he seems confident in Flagg's potential to lead the offense and play the one.

"From Summer League to preseason, he's done a great job running the team playing that position," Kidd said. "We’re all comfortable with him doing that so we’ll see what happens on opening night."

Four of the Mavericks' five starting lineup spots seem locked down, as Flagg, Davis, Lively II, and Thompson seem like guaranteed starters, and the final spot will all be determined by if Kidd decides to start Flagg or D'Angelo Russell at the one. If Kidd rolls with Flagg, Washington will likely join the starting unit, but if not, Russell will be the starting point guard and will start alongside the aforementioned four seemingly guaranteed starters.

If Kidd chooses Flagg, they truly have a great chance of making it work, and even though it'll be extremely unorthodox, this will help speed up Flagg's development and help him inch toward being an offensive engine one day. He has the playmaking and passing to be a strong leader of the offense eventually, and being able to become a No. 1 option will be crucial for him as he grows over the years.

The Mavs have the perfect tools around him to help him learn what it means to run a team, as he has future Hall of Famers all around him, along with some of the best depth in the NBA. Flagg will get to share the floor with Davis, one of the best bigs of this generation, Lively II, one of the best up-and-coming rim-rolling bigs in the West, and Thompson, one of the greatest shooters of all time, and this doesn't even mention Kyrie Irving, who is one of the most skilled players to ever touch a basketball.

The Mavericks are filled with winners and players with loads of playoff experience, as 10 of their 15 players have played in the NBA Finals at some point in their NBA career, and Flagg is in a great spot to morph into a superstar in whatever role Kidd assigns him. Flagg playing point guard on opening night is something that fans wouldn't have expected a few months ago, but this bold plan may just have the juice to turn into a dominant unit.