Mavericks will soon lock down Cooper Flagg's dream duo partner if new rumors are true

Cooper Flagg has a chance to unleash havoc in the NBA in a few months, just like Victor Wembanyama and LeBron James did when they were both rookies. Flagg was excited that the Mavs landed the No. 1 pick, as draft boards were eagerly prepared to pair Flagg with the Utah Jazz or the Washington Wizards. When the Mavs fell to No. 1 in the lottery, nobody could believe it. Now, the Mavs have their future in their post-Luka Doncic era that once seemed impossible.

Flagg is ready to pair up with his big men, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and Anthony Davis, as he will make all three guys some of the best lob threats of the game with his playmaking abilities. One of his usung sidekicks is going to be P.J. Washington, a two-way threat who can defend at any position and can get hot from shooting the ball. After reports revealed that Washington will sign a contract extension with Dallas this summer, a lineup with these two studs could set Flagg up to be elite.

It was Mark Cuban's dream idea to insert Washington in the starting lineup with Flagg. Washington would play the three, and Flagg would play the two. In all honesty, Flagg and Washington are some of the more adaptable Mavericks on the court with the way they play different positions. If the Mavs can unleash both of the guys together on the court, this duo would be lethal for years to come.

Washington and Flagg on the wing should terrify the rest of the league

It's unfair to Washington to say that both he and Flagg are similar in skill sets, but they are similar in style. They both love to defend, work hard, and rebound at a high rate, and Flagg is going to have a great player to learn from.

Flagg's offensive game is solid, but fans won't be able to forget him thinks to his amazing defense. This fits into Nico Harrison's philosophy that defense wins championships. It's hard for any fan to forget about that at this point, and Flagg fits the blueprint thanks to anticipating passes off the ball and being an off-ball menace.

Washington's style feels the same, except he's more rugged on the defensive end. He could take on anyone from Russell Westbrook to Victor Wembanyama. Washington was in an obvious slump when he first arrived in Dallas, but a major tweak in his jumper made for one of the best improvements at the best time. It feels like a blur when Dallas was cracking at No. 2 in the Western Conference last season before injuries haunted them, and they need that same production without injuries.

Flagg and Davis are already going to be scary for the rest of the league, but Flagg and Washington can do so many things on the court on both sides to wear teams out. Washington's new contract extension would set up Flagg for years to come, and the 18-year-old needs every weapon surrounding him to help his rookie transition go as smoothly as possible.

With Kyrie Irving out at least until 2026, it may be possible that we may not even see the same explosive Irving next season. Flagg might need to assume the point guard duties at certain times when D'Angelo Russell is off the court, and that's where Washington's presence is going to be golden for Flagg's rookie season.