Mavericks plotting to steal Spurs' secret Wembanyama sauce to ignite Flagg era

The Dallas Mavericks' search for a new point guard to replace Kyrie Irving has already begun, as there have been several rumors surrounding who Dallas is targeting on the trade market and in free agency this summer, and fans can't wait to see who Nico Harrison signs or trades for to round out the roster.

Dallas' rumored trade targets so far include Lonzo Ball and Jrue Holiday, and there has also been some buzz linking the Mavs to Chris Paul in free agency. Paul just finished a one-year deal with the San Antonio Spurs, and if he decides to head elsewhere, Harrison must consider signing him to help jumpstart the Cooper Flagg era.

Paul played excellently next to Victor Wembanyama in San Antonio last season, providing the young big with an excellent pick-and-roll duo partner and mentor, and he could provide the same thing in Dallas moving forward with Flagg if they were to sign him.

Chris Paul is the key to unlock Cooper Flagg's rookie year in Dallas

While Flagg and Wembanyama are completely different players, Paul could help bring the best out of Flagg just like he did for Wembanyama while accelerating his development.

For the Spurs, Paul and Wembanyama were dominant, as the Spurs posted a 118.8 offensive rating when they shared the floor. When Wembanyama was on the floor without Paul, San Antonio posted an offensive rating of just 105.7 — a major dropoff.

Paul and Wembanyama were clearly one of the Spurs' deadliest two-man duos, as Paul truly made his new big man better. His ability to set Wembanyama up for lobs in the pick and roll or open threes in the pick and pop and get him the ball in his spots was remarkable, as he is one of the most precise and selfless floor generals this game has ever seen. Paul always knows his role, and he did whatever he could to help Wembanyama succeed.

Paul has a knack for making his big men better, just like he did with DeAndre Jordan for the LA Clippers and Clint Capela for the Houston Rockets, and even though Flagg isn't a true center like the aforementioned players, Paul can provide leadership and guidance to him on and off the floor.

When sharing the floor with Flagg, Paul would find him with plenty of lobs and pocket passes as a backside cutter or in transition, and he could get him good looks in the pick and roll and pick and pop as well. Paul's incredible leaning mid-range jumper forces the defense to stay honest in these situations when he has the ball, and he could serve up open looks on a platter to the soon-to-be No. 1 overall pick in Dallas.

The possibilities are endless when predicting how Paul would play next to Flagg, and the best part about this potential pairing is that Paul's creation would help Flagg not to have to create for himself every time down the floor. While Flagg is more than capable of creating his own shot when needed, Paul being his point guard out of the gates would ensure that he is getting good looks from beyond the arc, in transition, and all over the floor in different half-court sets, as he is as good as anyone in the league at reading the defense and bringing the most out of his teammates.

Paul's passing and feel for the game would allow Flagg to thrive in a complementrary role alongside Dallas' other big-name players such as Anthony Davis, Irving (once he comes back), Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II, as he may be better equipped to be a secondary scorer right off the bat rather than a primary option. This isn't to say that Flagg can't be a primary scorer for the Mavs, as he projects to be an elite two-way player, but having Paul next to him would give Flagg the chance to not rush his ball-handling responsibilities and accelerate his growth while not overwhelming him.

Flagg could expand his offensive game gradually rather than all at once, as Paul would help Flagg lean into his strengths as a play finisher while also helping him evolve as a playmaker, considering he is already a great passer for his position.

Last season for the Spurs, Paul averaged 7.4 assists per game, showing he is still an elite passer in his 20th season. Paul turned 40 earlier this month, and while he wouldn't be a long-term piece for the Mavs by any means, he may be the perfect point guard to play next to Flagg to start his career.

Even on the other end of the floor, Paul would assist Flagg.

While Flagg is already an elite instinctual help-side defender, Paul's IQ, communication, and leadership would help him right away. The Mavs' defense is all about communication, rotations, and effort, and Paul would help bring the most out of Flagg on that end, possession after possession.

Off the floor, Paul would be a great example to Flagg on how to prepare like a pro while being someone he can lean on for advice when needed. This is one thing that helped Wembanyama and Paul grow together for the Spurs, as Paul is never afraid to let his teammates know what he is seeing on the floor or how they can get better.

The Spurs found the secret recipe to fully unlock Wembanyama by playing him next to Paul, and if the Mavericks can somehow sign Paul, Flagg is going to be in a great spot. This will all likely come down to whether Paul is open to signing for a veteran minimum contract, as that will probably be all that the Mavs can offer, but that may not be a bad deal at all, considering they could offer him the starting point guard spot until Irving returns.