Mavericks' nightmare season has a Cooper Flagg silver lining they can't ignore

The Dallas Mavericks continue to slide down the standings to begin the 2025-26 season, but at least the pressure is off, and Cooper Flagg can spread his wings and grow in all aspects of the game. Flagg is already looking like a future superstar, and considering that Dallas is 13th in the West (5-13 record), he should have the green light for the remainder of the season.

His development should be priority No. 1 for the Mavericks, and with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis' seasons being uncertain due to injuries and other factors, we should be getting a heavy dose of Flagg moving forward.

Flagg always seems to make the right play at the right time, and that should persist as the season goes on, but gaining more assertiveness will be key for him. Dallas has made it clear that they are focused on building around Flagg, and even once Irving and Davis return, they need to continue to involve him in games early and often.

Cooper Flagg is on the fast track to stardom

This isn't to say that the Mavericks aren't trying to win games, but all that matters at this point is that Flagg shows growth and gets to play his game for the entirety of the 82-game season. Dallas has dealt with a series of devastating injuries to key role players for the entire season, with Flagg one of the few players that has remained healthy.

Through 18 games, Flagg has only missed one game due to illness, and he looks better in every game that he plays in. This is a great sign for a team that has been cursed by the injury bug over the last two seasons, and his thumb and shoulder injuries haven't caused him to miss a game yet.

He is averaging 16.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the field, and his game is growing in front of everyone's eyes. His deep understanding of the game is evident every time he takes the floor, and he has already shown that he has the skills to be a franchise cornerstone.

Any of the former concerns about Flagg's game can be thrown out the window, as he is the most impactful rookie defender in the NBA, and his offensive game continues to grow as well. With Jason Kidd now allowing him to start on the wing rather than at point guard, his game is looking much smoother.

There are no longer any concerns about his finishing at the rim, as he looks comfortable knifing to the rim and scoring with either hand, and his focus on playing bully ball when smaller defenders switch onto him has been strong as well. Flagg is figuring out the best ways to be effective at the NBA level every single game, and he never shies away from the moment.

The Mavericks are doing right by him by feeding him the ball often in the clutch, and while the wins aren't coming as often as they want, at the end of the day, Flagg just needs to keep developing and growing. This will be the ultimate silver lining this season, and Mavericks will be watching him dominate at the American Airlines Center for years to come.