Mavericks' Cooper Flagg elephant in the room is impossible to ignore

Right after the Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg, Jason Kidd made it clear that he was going to play some point guard this season. Kidd wanted to make Flagg "uncomfortable" and see what he could do while running the show rather than designating him to an off-ball role right away.

Nearly nine months later, it's clear that Flagg isn't a point guard — and he may never be. He's at his best when he's on the floor with a primary creator, and the numbers show this and more.

Cooper Flagg is clearly better off the ball

This becomes more obvious by the game, and while Dallas isn't pushing for a playoff spot this season by any means, it's something they must address moving forward. The Mavericks need to return to being a playoff team next season, as they don't own their first-round pick, and that starts with pairing Flagg with a point guard as much as possible.

Kyrie Irving's impending return from an ACL tear will naturally help this issue, but even when Irving is off the floor, it makes the most sense for Kidd not to thrust Flagg into a role as the team's primary creator. This could be something that he grows into one day, but he shouldn't be forced into that box this early.

Flagg will only be in his second season in the NBA, and it's already hard enough being the franchise cornerstone as a teenager. Dallas needs to put him in the best possible position to succeed and lead them to wins beginning at the start of next season, and this starts with playing him at his true position.

The stats make this painfully obvious

Basketball is turning more positionless by the season, but when diving into the numbers, it's clear that Flagg is best in an off-ball role at this point in his career.

In Flagg's 509 minutes without a point guard, he's shooting 43.2 percent on two-point shots, with just 31 percent of these shots being assisted. He has to do most of the work and carry the load of the offense without one of the team's point guards on the floor with him (30 percent usage rate), and Dallas has been outscored by 108 points in these minutes.

Flagg's minutes at point guard obviously aren't as productive as when he's paired with Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard, or D'Angelo Russell (before he was traded), and the numbers tell this exact story.

In his 1200 minutes with a point guard, Flagg is shooting 56 percent on two-point field goals, nearly a 13-percent increase compared to when he plays point guard. 42 percent of these shots are assisted, making things much easier on him, and the Mavericks have only been outscored by 79 points during these 1200 minutes (equal to 25 full games).

How Williams and Nembhard elevate Flagg's game

The numbers aren't lying to you. Flagg looks much more comfortable when he isn't having to create his own shot every time down the floor, and the spacing on offense is so much better when there's a point guard on the floor with him.

Both Williams and Nembhard have had great moments with Flagg this season, as Williams' speed and constant paint touches help bring out the best in Flagg. Both players love to run in transition, and they've formed a nice two-man game as well.

With Nembhard, the chemistry is obvious as well. He and Flagg have been on the same page since before Summer League last year, and Nembhard's ability to pick apart the game with his passing benefits everyone around him. His role has decreased recently, but he and Flagg have definitely shown some flashes when sharing the floor.

A point guard allows Flagg to pick his spots and move without the ball rather than having to be at the epicenter of everything, giving him plenty of opportunities for back-door cuts, buckets in transition, and open shots. On top of this, he can conserve his energy more since he gets to avoid constant on-ball pressure while trying to get the ball across half-court.

The Mavericks must fix this next season

Kidd playing Flagg at point guard has definitely had its benefits, as he looks more comfortable in the clutch and has become a more well-rounded player, but it has not led to winning. The Mavericks don't need to be winning games right now, as lottery standings should be the team's biggest priority, but developing Flagg is just as important.

Despite this, Kidd has gone back to starting Flagg without a point guard. Again.

Since Flagg's return from his left midfoot sprain last week, the Mavericks have not started a point guard alongside him. The results? Dallas is 0-4 in these games.

Flagg has played just 13 minutes with Nembhard or Williams through these four games despite playing 118 total minutes, which is equal to about 11 percent of the time. The Mavericks are back to playing Flagg without a point guard, and while their direction allows this, it won't last much longer.

Flagg is the team's future, and if this season has proven anything, it's that he performs much better when he's on the floor with one of Dallas' floor generals.