Inside Mavericks Starting Lineup As No. 1 Pick Cooper Flagg Becomes Official

It's official. With the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks have selected Duke phenom Cooper Flagg.

By the stroke of a 1.8 percent chance of luck in winning the draft lottery, the Mavericks are awarded an opportunity to rewrite the script of this past season and revitalize a once-devastated fanbase.

Following the trade that sent superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and a mauling of season-impacting injuries to stars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis, the Mavs tanked out of the playoffs the season after reaching the NBA Finals.

Now, after capturing Flagg in the Draft, they immediately jump back into the playoffs once the roster becomes fully healthy.

Flagg will make an impact. But he's also surrounded by star power throughout this Mavericks roster.

Here's how he might fit into the starting lineup come Opening Night later this fall.

OPENING NIGHT STARTING LINEUP PROJECTION

PG: Brandon Williams

The next step in this roster revamp is to pursue a ball handler to carry the load until Irving recovers from his ACL tear. The Mavs superstar facilitator is expected to return to action near the beginning of the next calendar year.

Williams may be a familiar name to some MFFLs, but he hasn't gotten a major opportunity for meaningful playing time in head coach Jason Kidd's lineup. He's shown flashes of excellent ball-handling, great speed, and tough shot-making for his size, but there is still room to develop.

Dallas may face growing pains with Williams as a regular starter, but for the sake of a projection of the current roster - with Spencer Dinwiddie and Dante Exum as free agents - Williams gets the starting job.

Look out for veteran names like Chris Paul, Lonzo Ball, Malcolm Brogdon, and D'Angelo Russell as options in the coming months.

SG: Klay Thompson

Injuries have slowed Thompson's production in recent years, but his three-point shooting remains one of the league's most feared traits when he's at his best.

Another year in the Mavs system should do wonders for Klay, who was acquired last free agency. He will be Dallas' main source of perimeter spacing on offense, and despite his age (35), he still fits that role best on this roster.

PJ Washington could get some looks at the two if his jumper shows consistency improvements and Kidd elects for a bigger lineup.

SF: Cooper Flagg

He said it himself: Flagg believes he compares well with star forward Kawhi Leonard - an All-NBA small forward and one of the best two-way players in NBA history.

At 6-9, Flagg brings supreme athleticism that can guard any position on the floor, so sliding him at small forward will be his most natural fit in the NBA. He might've played a lot of front-court time at Duke, but with the Mavs owning an already deep big-man unit, the rookie can show off his skills on the perimeter here.

He'll need to tweak his jumper, but nearly every other component is ready. Versatility. Basketball IQ. Athleticism. Size.

He's the No. 1 overall pick for a reason and should walk into an opportunity to thrive on both ends of the floor from Day 1.

PF: Anthony Davis

When healthy, AD will get a lot of action at the center position, but his natural spot is where he can space out to the midrange and make jump shots.

Also hailed as one of the game's best two-way players, Davis will be instrumental in Flagg's development in the NBA's physicality and rebounding on the interior.

With the Doncic trade behind him, a full offseason in the organization should help Davis' cause in being as acclimated as possible for Opening Night.

With Irving on the sidelines, Davis is expected to be the vocal leader on the court - a role he is well equipped to take over within a relatively young starting core.

C: Dereck Lively II

The future of Lively and Flagg in Dallas' frontcourt is enough to make Mavs fans blush with excitement, but it will take time.

Lively has not become a full-time starter for an entire season yet, so we must first determine if his body is capable of handling that workload and demand on a regular basis.

Newly signed Daniel Gafford will work in regularly and see plenty of time in the starting lineup, depending on health and matchups week to week throughout the season. At a $20 million per season price tag, Gafford has every right to be in the starting lineup, but if the Mavericks want to foster the Lively/Flagg connection, it's best to play them at the same time.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith believes the Mavericks' addition of Flagg slingshots them from the play-in tournament to contenders with the new NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference.

Returning point guard Kyrie Irving (and finding a backup) is a major factor in that, but this projected starting lineup looks a lot better than any Mavs fan could've dreamed of a few months ago.