Mavericks finally get glimmer of hope in Cooper Flagg injury saga

Dallas Mavericks fans' concern about Cooper Flagg's foot injury has gone through the roof recently, especially after Jason Kidd all but ruled him out for tomorrow's game against the Charlotte Hornets last week, but some good news is on the way. NBA insider Marc Stein reported that there is "rising optimism in Dallas that Cooper Flagg is nearing a return (subscription required) from a midfoot sprain that has sidelined him for the past seven games dating to Feb. 10."

This is great news for the Mavericks, as he suffered this left midfoot sprain on February 10 against the Phoenix Suns. He originally wasn't expected to miss any additional time following the All-Star break, but it sounds like his return is quickly approaching.

Cooper Flagg may make his highly-anticipated return on Friday in Boston

After tomorrow's game against Charlotte, Dallas has two more games this week, and Friday's matchup against the Boston Celtics seems like the most likely game for Flagg to come back. It gives him a few extra days to rest and rehab his injured foot, but this game also holds a deeper connection that goes beyond basketball.

He grew up a big Celtics fan, and as Stein noted, this game in Boston is extremely important to him. This is the Mavericks' only game in Boston this season, and since Flagg grew up in Newport, Maine, he'd certainly have no shortage of friends and family who would like to watch the 19-year-old phenom play at TD Garden.

Chances like this don't come around every day, and if you know Flagg, you know that he loves being on the court and hates missing time. The last few weeks have likely been brutal for him as he recovers from the most serious injury of his NBA career, and it doesn't sound like shutting him down was ever an option.

Cooper Flagg still has plenty to gain this season

Sitting Flagg for the rest of the season wouldn't have made any sense, as he is still a real candidate to win Rookie of the Year. On top of this, he needs as much development as he can get as his rookie season comes to a close.

We've seen Flagg's game dramatically improve over the course of his rookie year, and him missing the final two months of the season would've been a heartbreaking ending to what has been a disappointing season for Dallas. Flagg's stellar play has been the best storyline of the entire season, and Mavericks fans aren't ready to close this chapter of his career yet.

They want to see him finish the season strong ahead of a pivotal 2026-27 season, and if recent rumors prove to be true, he should be back in no time. It remains to be seen which game Flagg will actually come back for, but fans can rest assured that he is trending in the right direction and inching toward his long-awaited return.