Mavericks need Cooper Flagg to rediscover the skill that made him a monster at Duke

Cooper Flagg's rookie season for the Dallas Mavericks was nothing short of excellent. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.8 percent from the field in 70 games. His defense, finishing around the rim, and poise were all outstanding in his first year, but his 3-point shooting was below average. This was the one hole in his game that clearly needed some work.

Cooper Flagg was an excellent 3-point shooter at Duke

He shot 29.5 percent from three on 3.5 attempts per game as a Maverick — a nine-percentage-point decrease from his 3-point percentage as a freshman at Duke (38.5 percent on 3.6 attempts per game). His shooting was one of the many things that made him a monster as a Blue Devil, as he had virtually no holes in his game.

Defenses couldn't afford to sag off him, but if they did, he made them pay. Too tight a defense allowed him to easily get to the paint. Flagg was a versatile scorer during his one season at Duke, and his strong shooting helped open up everything else.

This wasn't the case in Dallas

Flagg's 3-point volume stayed about the same in the NBA, but his efficiency dipped considerably.

This can be blamed on a plethora of factors, including a deeper 3-point line, having to be the primary offensive initiator with Kyrie Irving sidelined, and limited spacing around him, but Flagg turning back the clock and shooting as well as he did for Duke would be game-changing. This is an area of his game that he's been working on hard this offseason, and becoming a better shooter is Flagg's next step to becoming a superstar as soon as next season.

This is something that the Mavs need from him, as they were one of the worst shooting teams in the league. They ranked in the bottom five in 3-pointers attempted, 3-pointers made, and 3-point percentage, and their best player, Flagg, was part of the issue.

He didn't have much going for him in terms of help around him, as most of his teammates struggled to make open shots as well, but Dallas needs him to take charge and help squash the issue that plagued their offense last season.

Flagg could unlock another level to his game with an improved jumper

Flagg is already on track to be one of the faces of the NBA. He plays lockdown defense on one end and is an ambidextrous slasher on the other, and his mid-range jumper is coming along. Flagg has all the tools, characteristics, and drive to become one of the best players in the league, but becoming a dangerous 3-point shooter would put him in an entirely different category.

He could become the best player in the NBA one day if he builds upon the success he had as a Blue Devil and his rookie year as a Maverick. Shooting is a crucial skill in today's NBA, especially for players who serve as their team's offensive engine.

If Flagg begins to knock down threes at a higher clip, he'll be a respectable three-level scorer. His finishing and mid-range scoring are strong. The long-range jumper just needs some work.

He shot over 40 percent from three at the top of the key last season, a hopeful sign that he'll be a good shooter on pull-up and trailing threes in the future, but he struggled almost everywhere else outside of the right corner. Flagg doesn't shoot many corner threes to begin with, given his role in the offense, but this could change this season with Irving back in the lineup.

Irving will help take some of the playmaking duties off Flagg's plate, allowing him to transition into more of an off-ball role rather than having to create every time down the floor. Irving's gravity will naturally help generate better looks for Flagg, which should result in his 3-point percentage rising.

The Mavericks need Flagg to turn the page and shoot like he did at Duke. If he can, the sky is the limit.

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