Kyrie and Flagg Finally Share a Floor: Inside Dallas's High-Stakes Reset

The Dallas Mavericks enter training camp with a dynamic they've never actually seen before: a healthy Kyrie Irving standing next to second-year phenom Cooper Flagg. After a 26-win season that saw the team miss the playoffs for a second straight year, the franchise's entire pivot now rests on how quickly that pairing clicks — and whether Flagg can fix the one hole in his game.

The optimism is tangible. Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki recently gave Flagg his endorsement for a potential All-Star berth this season, per the "DLLS Mavs" podcast. But the data suggests the leap isn't automatic. Flagg posted strong overall rookie numbers — 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game across 70 appearances — yet his three-point percentage dipped to 29.5% after he entered the league as a reputed knockdown shooter at Duke. For Dallas to take a serious step forward, Flagg rediscovering that stroke feels almost non-negotiable.

Kyrie Irving is the wild card. He sat out the entirety of last season recovering from an ACL injury, leaving Dallas without any legitimate NBA-level guard play on a roster that stumbled to a 26-56 record and a minus-5.5 point differential. In his most recent full season (2024), Irving was superb — 24.7 points and 4.6 assists on 47.3% shooting from the floor and 40.1% from deep. The question isn't talent; it's how close he can get to that version after such a lengthy layoff.

Frontcourt help looks considerably different, too. The injury-prone Anthony Davis was shipped to Washington, Klay Thompson departed this summer for Miami, and Dereck Lively II managed just seven games last season due to his own health issues. That's a lot of roster turnover to integrate while also breaking in rookie Morez Johnson Jr. and a bench that reportedly features unusual depth at center. The roster even carries a distinct international flavor, with the Mavs now employing five European players.

The market is intrigued but cautious: BetMGM currently lists Dallas's win total at 34.5, a clear signal that the book views this as a fringe play-in squad rather than a true contender. Ranked 23rd by ESPN and Bleacher Report in preseason power polls, the Mavs have mountains of skepticism to overcome.

Yet there's genuine reason to believe the disrespect is misplaced. A full season of Flagg, a healthy Irving, a presumably healthier Lively, and a front office that has emphasized offensive rebounding and size — areas that were inexplicable weaknesses last year — could push this group past the modest expectations placed upon it.

The schedule offers no favors early, with a brutal opening slate before easing down the stretch. That places a premium on Irving and Flagg building immediate chemistry in October's preseason contests. If the pairing thrives, Dallas becomes one of the league's more fascinating turnaround stories. If Flagg's three-point regression continues and Irving's recovery stalls, the noise around another rebuild will only amplify.

For a franchise still living down the Luka Doncic trade, these next few months represent something rare: a clean shot at redemption, with the franchise's two most important players finally on the same page — literally.