Jason Kidd's bold message to Cooper Flagg reveals what Mavericks know is coming next

The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up their 2025-26 NBA season, missing the playoffs for a second straight year. They now head into the offseason with the seventh-best draft odds (tied with the New Orleans Pelicans), as they hope to find another young star to pair alongside Cooper Flagg. Assuming the Mavs strike gold and Kyrie Irving returns to his old form, then it's possible Dallas could find itself in the playoffs.

The statement above is a message that coach Jason Kidd highly believes in. Before Dallas' final regular-season game, the Mavs' coach stated that Flagg must get a ton of rest, as he anticipates the team will be back in the playoffs.

Mavericks already expect a leap from Cooper Flagg next season

Dallas fans suffered one of the most brutal heartbreaks last season when Nico Harrison pulled off one of the most infamous trades in NBA history, sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. However, even if there was any silver lining in the mess Harrison made, it was the arrival of Flagg. The Mavs' rookie quickly took the league by storm and made a name for himself, as he is a leading candidate for the Rookie of the Year award.

Kidd, though, believes Flagg's historic season is just the beginning, as he anticipates Dallas going on a postseason run next season.

In a recent press conference before the Mavs' season finale, Kidd had a strong message for Flagg as he enters his first offseason of his career. "Rest," because it seems the playoffs might be in his future.

"He’s gotta give his mind and body some rest here because next year will be a lot longer,” Kidd said.

The message above is a statement Kidd doesn't hold lightly. He believes the team can turn things around and make a deep postseason run.

Yet, the idea of Dallas making the playoffs will hinge on Flagg. The Dallas rookie will need to take major strides to make Kidd's statement come true. It's something Kidd truly believes, as the notion of "next year will be a lot longer" means Flagg and the team will bounce back just fine.

Cooper Flagg's rookie season signals what Dallas believes is coming next

Flagg had one of the best rookie seasons in league history. He finished the season averaging 21.0 points per game, a stat that put him near Luka Doncic's stats from his rookie season. His high scoring became the norm of the season, as he was Dallas' leading scorer.

The biggest game was his 51-point performance against the Orlando Magic at the beginning of the month. It was a historic moment, as he became the youngest rookie to score 50 points and the second player to have multiple 45-point performances as a rookie.

So, it's clear he should be the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year. His breakout performances showed that he can get hot at any moment from anywhere on the floor, as he has the skills to help carry a franchise for years.

There is a reason why Kidd and fans believe Flagg can take major steps next season. The anticipation of Flagg becoming an all-star in his second year seems highly possible, as fans are already putting him in the same category as Doncic.

The only thing left for Flagg is to make a postseason run, similar to the former Mav. He might even need to win a couple of NBA Finals if he hopes to help fans fully move on from Doncic and the mess Harrison created.

So, if fans took anything from Kidd's most recent comments yesterday, it's that Dallas is expected to turn things around this season. They are in contention to make a playoff run, and it'll be up to Flagg to take charge. This is why rest is important, as he'll have big shoes to fill.