Former Maverick exposes Cooper Flagg's main weakness that must be addressed

The Dallas Mavericks' offseason began with them winning the rights to the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery, where they selected Cooper Flagg just a month and a half later. Flagg doesn't just possess the tools to be a future superstar in the league, but he also has the skills to push the Mavericks into title contention as soon as his rookie season.

While Flagg was a no-brainer selection with the first overall pick, there are still small holes in his game that must be addressed before anyone can throw a label on his potential. One aspect of Flagg's game that is relatively unknown is how his shooting will correlate to the professional level despite shooting the three-ball at a respective 38.5 percent in his only season at Duke.

To call Flagg's shooting a concern would be an overstatement, considering in conference play last season, Flagg shot the three ball at over a 40 percent clip, and that number only rose as the season went along. It's unclear what steps the Mavericks will have him take in his offensive game this offseason; however, Flagg must prove that his jump shot can translate to the pro level.

Tim Legler doesn't believe in Flagg's jumper being impactful in year one

One of Dallas' biggest needs to address this offseason was the lack of shooting throughout the roster. Without Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, there's real reason to believe the Mavericks may have ranked among some of the worst offensive teams in the league despite having the star power to compete with some of the top juggernauts in the NBA.

While this problem persists heading into this next season, the addition of D'Angelo Russell will add much-needed offensive depth to the starting unit while Irving remains sidelined. In addition to Russel's offensive impact, Flagg's jumper must progress within the starting five unit if he wishes to have any shot at making a real impact in his rookie season.

With as big as the Mavericks will want to be playing this season, Flagg will be asked to be the small forward in most lineups, which will mean he will need to take a bulk of the shots that come his way. While this might not seem like a bad thing, former Maverick Tim Legler isn't ready to label Flagg's jumper as pro-ready, which could hinder Dallas' championship hopes.

In a recent interview with DLLS Mavs Podcast, Legler expressed how impressed he was with Flagg's game, but that he wasn't quite ready to call Flagg's jumper pro-ready.

"Alongside Anthony Davis and a rim-running center, you would love to have a three that can be comfortable out to 24 feet or catch and shoots and also get his own out to 24 feet off the dribble," Legler said in reference to Flagg's fit within the starting unit. "Right now, he's got, I think some mechanical issues that he's gotta iron out to get to that level."

By no means is Legler calling Flagg's offensive game a burden for the Mavericks; it's just a stretch to believe that in year one, Flagg can produce at the offensive level of some of the league's best perimeter shooters. Legler also mentions how Flagg has some mechanical issues in his jumper that will need to be worked out, but as the season progresses, there's reason to believe Flagg will be the first one to figure out what works best for him.

Alongside Davis and a rim-running center, a small forward who can pick their shots and also shoot off the catch would be perfect; however, Flagg's off-the-dribble game is likely where he will make his money in his rookie year. Expecting Flagg to be lights out in year one off the catch when shooting the three ball is a huge expectation, but if Flagg is ready to contribute at a professional level, he must be ready to adapt to this need.