Mavericks finally learn their lesson on how to build around Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks opened the season with Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II in the starting lineup.

While the group offered imposing size and physicality, it lacked the spacing and playmaking necessary to function smoothly—issues that surfaced immediately when Dallas made just eight 3-pointers and committed 16 turnovers in its season opener.

Dallas’ shooting problem isn’t going away

Since that ill-fated season-opening loss, the roster has undergone significant changes. Yet two problems persist: the Mavericks still lack playmaking and shooting. They rank 24th in assists per game, 29th in 3-pointers made, and 28th in 3-point percentage.

Shooting is arguably the Mavericks’ biggest need, particularly because their franchise player is a capable scorer and playmaker but not yet a reliable perimeter threat. Cooper Flagg is averaging 20.4 points and 4.1 assists per game as a 19-year-old, yet he’s shooting just 30.2 percent from three on merely 3.5 attempts per contest.

How Dallas is building around Cooper Flagg

Nonetheless, as Flagg has improved month by month, the Mavericks have recognized the importance of surrounding him with shooting. By increasing Max Christie’s minutes and pairing him with a true point guard, Dallas has taken tangible steps to ease his offensive burden and optimize his development.

Still, shooting deficiencies aren’t solved in a matter of months. As much perimeter punch as Christie provides (41.9 percent from three), and despite the added structure Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams bring, Dallas still requires outside reinforcements. It's a reality the organization has finally acknowledged.

It hasn’t been splashy (it couldn’t be, not after the trade deadline), but in recent days the Mavericks have taken fliers on two players viewed as potential floor spacers. Dallas signed former second-round pick Tyler Smith and undrafted free agent John Poulakidas to two-way contracts.

The Mavericks are searching for shooting wherever possible

Smith is a 6-foot-9 forward who shot 36.0 percent from three with G League Ignite in 2023–24 and 43.3 percent with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2024–25 season, albeit on limited volume. He’s shooting 34.9 percent from deep in the G League this year.

Poulakidas, on the other hand, is the less versatile player but far more of a shooting specialist. The Yale product is hitting 45.1 percent of his 7.2 three-point attempts per game for the San Diego Clippers this season. He also shot a scorching 40.2 percent from deep over the course of his collegiate career, underscoring the legitimacy of his shooting touch.

Smith and Poulakidas may be minor additions, but they illustrate that Dallas has finally accepted the need to surround Flagg with shooting. Before signing the two wings to two-way contracts, the Mavericks used one of those roster spots on Miles Kelly, who shot under 31.0 percent from three in limited action with Dallas.

Of course, former two-way guard Ryan Nembhard and current two-way center Moussa Cissé represent success stories, but they fill very different roles. Nembhard operates as a floor general, while Cissé provides energy and interior defense. What Dallas still needs, even on the edges of its roster, is shooting, and two-way contracts are an ideal place to take low-risk fliers on potential sharpshooters.