Mavericks' new coaching hire holds key to unlocking Cooper Flagg's secret skill

The Dallas Mavericks have had a busy offseason, and while the basketball news cycle has slowed down enormously in the last few weeks, the Mavericks still have two major moves to make before the season can tip off. Not only do the Mavericks need to address the P.J. Washington contract extension talks, but Nico Harrison and the front office will also need to make a consolidation trade to create a roster spot.

While these two moves will be at the forefront of Mavericks fans' minds for the remainder of the offseason, fans are quick to forget that the Mavericks made an almost complete overhaul to their coaching staff. Not only did the Mavericks hire Frank Vogel as one of the team's lead assistant coaches, but the Mavs also hired a well-respected player development coach in Phil Handy from the Los Angeles Lakers.

Handy is not only one of the top coaching names in the market when it comes to player development, but he also has garnered a great relationship with multiple star players and may have the opportunity to build a lasting relationship with Cooper Flagg.

Phil Handy will help unlock Cooper Flagg's handle

Throughout Handy's career, he has spent plenty of time with the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he not only helped develop Kyrie Irving into the player he is today but also spent a considerable amount of time with the Lakers, where he would be a part of the 2020 bubble Finals-winning Lakers squad. Handy has not only gained the respect of some of the league's top names, like LeBron James, but he will now have the opportunity to mold Flagg into the next perennial superstar of the NBA.

In his professional career, Handy has specialized in the player development aspect of basketball, with a particular focus on players' dribbling abilities. With Flagg likely taking plenty of reps at running the offense for the Mavericks, it is going to be critical that he develops a reliable handle, and in just two Summer League games, it was already clear that keeping a proper handle was going to be one of Flagg's biggest challenges.

Under Handy, Flagg will not only have the perfect coach to work alongside, but Handy may be one of the only coaches in the league who can transform Flagg into a potential point-forward mold. There's no doubt that Flagg's rookie season will have growing pains, considering the role he will be playing, but with Handy on the bench, Flagg may find the perfect mentor.

Only time will tell what Flagg's true offensive potential will be, but with Handy at his side, Flagg has the potential to grow into an impressive offensive weapon in Dallas. Flagg has never been the player to shy away from a challenge, and this may be one of his biggest challenges throughout his young career.

Assuming Flagg can become the point-forward mold every fan and coach wants him to be, the sky will be the limit for his potential.

Flagg has flourished as an off-ball player who can find his spots through off-ball cuts and screens, but to truly reach the superstar potential that he is capable of, he is going to need to score with the ball in his hands. Not only is Flagg going to have a tall task this season to carry some of the offensive workload as a rookie, but this could be a precursor to the rest of his career if he wants to truly be special.