Kyrie Irving’s return finally lets Mavericks unleash Cooper Flagg’s playmaking

Kyrie Irving returned to the court on Sunday for the first time since his ACL tear in March 2025, to much fanfare. Dallas Mavericks fans were delighted to see the nine-time All-Star back out there picking up right where he left off. No one was happier, though, than Cooper Flagg and the Mavericks' coaching staff.

Sunday's game was just a taste of the duo the Mavericks hope will take over the league. The biggest takeaway from their first game together was how Irving's presence on the court already opened so many avenues offensively for the sophomore forward. One way Irving taking a share of offensive responsibility will let Flagg excel is through playmaking.

Cooper Flagg is poised for a massive leap with Kyrie Irving by his side

Expectations for Flagg's second year have been sky-high this offseason. Flagg is already one of the league's most talked-about, exciting young players, and he hasn't even turned 20. After just his first preseason game, fans were already itching to see him take the next step toward stardom. 19 points in 19 minutes is hard to ignore.

His shooting wasn't the most exciting part of his second game in Macao, though, as he shot poorly and scored fewer points despite playing more minutes. Instead, Flagg contributed offensively by being the primary facilitator, leading the team with seven assists. It was Kyrie who led the team in scoring. He's still the most dangerous guy on the court with the ball in his hands, but now he has a 6-foot-10 generational athlete to sling the ball over to him when in space.

With the new offensive system Coach May introduced, Flagg is the perfect engine for the type of offense he wants to run. Flagg's stamina, strength, and speed let him beat his opponents physically and stay on the court for longer. Irving will only make that easier.

Early in the second quarter on Sunday, Flagg recorded three of his seven assists in less than a minute and a half. With the new tempo the Mavericks can run, having the stamina to push the ball quickly can make the difference in winning games. Flagg doesn't even need to attack the basket every game with Irving on the court. Instead, he can serve as a through-point for the offense, empowering other players and saving some energy to be a menace defensively.

Late in the season, players with Flagg's ability and stamina rise above the rest, but if he can improve as a playmaker, he could single-handedly make the Mavs offense even more dangerous. Flagg emphasized improving as a shot creator as one of his biggest offseason goals. It's one of the biggest improvements he can make to reach true superstardom, and if he can sustain this level of output all season, Flagg may find himself in All-NBA-type discussions.

Flagg alternated between scorer and playmaker late in his rookie season

During Flagg's rookie season, he made strides in his playmaking abilities. He averaged 4.5 assists per game and finished the year with 13 games with seven or more assists. With the absence of exceptional point guard play, Flagg often slotted in at point guard. Several of Coop's best nights as a playmaker came late in the season, but often at the expense of his scoring output.

His offense varied quite heavily from time to time. His career-high in assists, 11, came in a game in which he scored just 13 points. The next game, he took twice as many shots, 22 versus 11, and scored 35 points with just two assists.

In March, Flagg made a leap offensively. That month, his role in the offense changed. He posted his lowest points-per-game average since November, 19.9, down from 27.3 in the four games he was healthy in February and nearly 10 ppg lower than in April (29.2). That month, however, his assist averages were the highest of the season, at 5.9 assists per game, compared to 4.0 in February and 4.3 in April. Six of his thirteen games with seven or more assists came in March.

Flagg showed late in the season that he had the ability to switch between shooter and shot creator when the need arose on a game-by-game basis, but his next step will come when he can make that switch on a play-by-play basis.

No one could be entirely sure what Irving and Flagg would look like on the court together, but it was clear this offseason that if Irving could remain healthy, it would be good. With one preseason game together under their belts, the sky is the limit for this duo and what they might accomplish offensively.

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