NBA scout reveals how Mavericks must build around Cooper Flagg now

The Dallas Mavericks will soon need to begin to build around Cooper Flagg, and an NBA scout recently laid out the blueprint of how Dallas can turn into a contender with him at the head of the snake. This current iteration of the Mavericks is obviously a team that was built around Luka Doncic, and with him gone now, this NBA scout thinks that Dallas is going to be in a great spot with Flagg as their leader.

This anonymous Western Conference scout, according to ESPN, has been extremely impressed with Cooper Flagg's athleticism, but they know that the Mavericks need to add as many shooters as possible around the young wing to put them in a good spot to contend soon. Flagg has all of the intangibles to be a No. 1 option on a championship team, and now it's on Dallas to give him the tools he needs around him.

"If I'm the GM here, I'm adding as much shooting as possible and building around him for a long time," one scout told ESPN.

Cooper Flagg needs more shooters around him

3-point shooting has been Flagg's Achilles heel since entering the NBA, as he is shooting just 28.3 percent from three on 3.5 attempts per game, and they have to put better shooters around him to maximize spacing, give him plenty of kick-out options, and complement his playstyle. Pairing Flagg with multiple non-shooters is a recipe for disaster, as we've already seen with his rough on-court fit with P.J. Washington, and filling his supporting cast with dominant shooters is a perfect plan.

We've already seen this with Max Christie and Klay Thompson, as Christie is having the best season of his career while Thompson has had a recent resurgence. Flagg is at his best when sharing the floor with shooters who can space the floor, as it gives him much clearer driving lanes to the bucket.

Scouts were skeptical about Flagg's finishing heading into his rookie season, but he has crushed any and all doubt. He is one of the best teenage paint finishers in the NBA, and his ability to finish with either hand through contact is incredible.

Jason Kidd's offense prioritizes paint touches, and Flagg already has that down. His scoring around the bucket has been his bread and butter for months now, and that's exactly why they have to make sure to put shooters around him so he can keep this up.

Balance is important in today's NBA, and with Dallas being one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA this season, they have to get trending back in the right direction here. Their 3-point percentage and volume has increased recently, and it's bound to rise even more once Kyrie Irving returns, but they can't settle.

They need more creation and shooting badly, and pairing Flagg with more backcourt help and shooting should pay dividends for him.

Flagg has already shown early signs that he can develop into an offensive engine, and his passing grows more every game. He makes the right play over and over again, and the shooters that Dallas brings in around him are bound to benefit from this.

He is one of the smartest young players in the entire NBA, and the Mavericks' future is not as grim as some make it seem. They have the best rookie in the league to build around, and despite not having much draft capital to work with, they're going to figure it out.

Flagg's versatility on both ends of the floor makes him the best building block the Mavericks could've asked for, and as soon as they bring in pieces that fit better around him, the sky is the limit.