Mavericks eye Jason Kidd replacement who would turn Cooper Flagg into a monster

The rumbles surrounding the Dallas Mavericks' hunt for Jason Kidd's replacement have been relatively quiet since the Hall of Fame point guard was relieved of his coaching duties last month, but NBA insiders Jake Fischer and Marc Stein broke the silence on Thursday in the best way possible. They began to float names that Dallas has registered interest in as of late, and this includes Duke head coach Jon Scheyer (subscription required).

Jon Scheyer would be a strong Jason Kidd replacement

Scheyer coached Cooper Flagg at Duke during his freshman season, and given how much Flagg improved as a Blue Devil, Scheyer would be the perfect coach to kick off the new era in Dallas. The Mavericks need a fresh voice in the locker room after losing 56 games just two years after making the NBA Finals, and Scheyer would bring that and much more.

"It remains to be seen whether Duke's Jon Scheyer or Michigan's Dusty May reach full-fledged candidate status with Dallas since both are so entrenched with their universities, but league sources tell The Stein Line that there has been exploratory conversation with both college titans to try to determine if there is any interest," Stein and Fischer reported.

Dallas has at least done their homework on the 38-year-old coach who leads one of the biggest powerhouses in college basketball, and it would make sense for Dallas to hire him. Scheyer has led Duke to the NCAA Tournament in all four seasons since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022, including a trip to the Final Four when Flagg was on the team with Kon Knueppel, Sion James, Tyrese Proctor, Khaman Maluach, and Isaiah Evans.

He has emerged as one of the best coaches in college basketball over the last few years, and it's easy to see why he'd turn Flagg into a monster. Flagg is already one of the best young players in the NBA, and Scheyer is a hire that would help him reach an entirely new level. The young forward is already on track to be one of the faces of the NBA, and Scheyer would help ensure that he gets there.

Scheyer's teams are filled with NBA talent, and given how well Flagg and Knueppel's games translated to the NBA, he has a knack for developing his guys.

Now imagine how much Flagg could grow under Scheyer now. Flagg is known for his relentless work ethic, and pairing him with a head coach who knows him extremely well would help him take his game to another level. Scheyer already knows how to maximize his strengths, as shown by Duke leading the ACC in points per game during Flagg's freshman season.

Scheyer's emphasis on floor spacing allowed for Flagg to knife to the rim for easy buckets, and this is something that Dallas didn't do for him last season. The Mavericks' poor 3-point shooting allowed defenses to sell out on stopping Flagg's drives to the paint, and bringing in a coach who fully utilized all of Flagg's skills during his one year of college basketball would be an outstanding move for them.

Dallas needs to shake up the way they do things offensively if they want to bring the most out of Flagg and turn him into a superstar, and Scheyer has already done this. Giving him even more time with the star forward would yield even stronger results.

Flagg's evolution at Duke helped him turn into one of the best Duke freshman ever, and this is no easy task. Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Marvin Bagley III all preceded him, but Flagg's season was even more historic.

His head coach deserves flowers for Flagg skyrocketing through the sky-high expectations that were set for him before the season at Duke, and his growth in college helped him turn into the player that he is today.

The Mavericks need a coach like him for their rebuild

With the Mavericks starting fresh and looking to build something special, this is the type of coach they need. Dallas needs to put a young team around Flagg that has high upside that can eventually morph into an NBA Finals contender, and someone like Scheyer would help his players grow as players and young men.

Flagg spoke highly of Scheyer during his time at Duke, and he even went back to watch a Blue Devils game during the All-Star break last season. Scheyer never took it easy on Flagg at Duke, and their honest relationship helped them earn a trip to the Final Four in San Antonio last year.

Scheyer got the most out of Flagg time and time again during his freshman season at Duke, and his drastic improvement in just one year is impossible to overlook. He went from a non-threat from beyond the arc at the beginning of the season to a 3-point sniper by the time March Madness rolled around, and Scheyer deserves credit for continuing to instill confidence in him.

Scheyer also helped him grow considerably as a ball handler and decision-maker. Flagg went from coughing the ball up often to making reads at the second and third levels, which helped him prepare for the rigors of being a lead ball handler in the NBA. It wasn't easy at first, but Scheyer always had his best interests in mind.

Flagg has already dealt with serious adversity after one season in the NBA, and bringing in a familiar face to lead Dallas would be an easy adjustment for him. The Maine Event was must-watch television during his time playing for Scheyer at Duke, and reuniting in Dallas for round two is an opportunity that Dallas should seriously consider if the young head coach is ready to make the jump to the NBA.

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