Kidd hints at unleashing Mavericks' freakish Flagg lineup that'll scare entire NBA

The entire direction of the Dallas Mavericks changed in the blink of an eye last Monday night during the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago.

Before that night in which the Mavericks secured the No. 1 overall pick and the right to draft Duke's Cooper Flagg next month, their chances of being a contender next season were not looking as strong as Nico Harrison expected after he traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.

After being eliminated in the Play-In Tournament by the Memphis Grizzlies a few weeks before, vibes were low in Dallas. The team that got beat by 14 points by the Grizzlies was close to the same team that Dallas was going to be starting next season with, and they were going to be in a tough position until Kyrie Irving returns from his ACL tear (likely some time in early 2026).

They also weren't going to have much cap space to spend this summer on potential free agents, and the draft lottery just happened to bless them with one of the most valuable assets in the NBA. That being the chance to draft Flagg.

Teams won't be able to score on Kidd's new Mavericks lineup

Immediately after the Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery, fans became concerned with Dallas's overhaul of frontcourt players. They thought that Dallas was going to be forced to trade one of their bigs, as they now had Flagg, P.J. Washington, Daniel Gafford, Davis, and Dereck Lively II all on the same team. The two players who immediately came up in trade speculation were Washington and Gafford, since they're on expiring contracts, but a recent take by Mavs head coach Jason Kidd could silence some of those trade rumbles.

On the DLLS Mavs Podcast on Monday afternoon, Kidd talked about how they can explore playing Flagg at shooting guard, meaning that when they're fully healthy, they can explore using a lineup of Irving, Flagg, Washington, Davis, and Lively II at certain times and dominate their opponent with size. Fans loved hearing this, as it could mean Washington may not get traded, and Kidd already seems to be thinking about how Flagg is going to fit on his new team.

This doesn't mean that this lineup will be used super often, as Washington is a much better fit at the four and Flagg may not be good enough at the point of attack right off the bat to defend shooting guards, but they would be able to switch everything and pack the paint. Teams would hate trying to score on this lineup, and being able to use this lineup would allow Washington's minutes not to drop much.

This will likely end up being key for him, as he will enter free agency next summer if he isn't extended this summer, and finding ways that he and Flagg can share the court together will be key in keeping him happy with his role. Things will also become easier for them if they decide to trade Gafford, as that would allow Davis to play the five more.

Flagg is built to play nearly any position on the floor, and his passing and feel for the game will be evident right away. Kidd allowing him to play some shooting guard will allow him to go through the growing pains of being a secondary ball handler early, simultaneously speeding up his development and making him more versatile.

Kidd's options will be endless when it comes to lineups he can unleash, and one that includes Irving, Flagg, Washington, Davis, and Lively II would be intriguing to say the absolute least. This lineup would have some questions, such as shooting, but it could end up being the perfect lineup to pull out against bigger matchups.