Jason Kidd told to treat Cooper Flagg like Giannis Antetokounmpo to fix issue sparked by D’Angelo Russell

Murray suggests Cooper Flagg as alternative solution

Instead of relying on Russell, Murray believes the Mavericks should give ball-handling responsibilities to their top draft pick Cooper Flagg.

While not a traditional point guard, Flagg gained experience as a primary ball-handler during his Duke career.

Head coach Jason Kidd sees potential for Flagg to develop into a point-forward similar to Grant Hill. Kidd’s history of developing versatile playmakers supports this approach.

During his Milwaukee tenure, Kidd successfully utilized Giannis Antetokounmpo as a primary ball-handler, accelerating the Greek Freak’s development into a superstar.

“Jason Kidd, when he got to go to Milwaukee and get the Bucks job, he put the ball in Giannis’ hands and accelerated his [potential]. They’re gonna have to [do the same to Cooper Flagg], because you can’t ask D’Angelo Russell [to be primary ball handler]. D’Angelo was legitimately awful last year,” Murray explained.

Russell’s production declined significantly last season

Murray highlighted Russell’s career-low numbers during his time with the Lakers and Nets last season. Russell averaged just 12.6 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.8 rebounds across both stops.

His three-point shooting dropped dramatically to 31.4% from the 40% range he maintained in previous seasons. These numbers represented the lowest marks of Russell’s entire career.

The statistical decline raises questions about Russell’s ability to handle primary playmaking responsibilities for a championship-contending team like Dallas.

Kidd’s track record with Giannis provides blueprint

Murray emphasized the potential ceiling for Dallas if they commit to developing Flagg as their primary playmaker rather than depending on Russell’s declining abilities.

“It’s going to be Cooper Flagg and a bunch of dudes who you’re praying hold up. And if they hold up for an extended period, the ceiling’s high with Dallas,” he added.

During Kidd’s Milwaukee tenure from 2014-2018, Giannis transformed from a raw prospect into an All-Star caliber player. His numbers increased dramatically, progressing from single digits to 20-plus points per game.

Giannis earned All-Star and All-NBA selections under Kidd’s guidance, validating the coach’s development approach with versatile forwards.

Kidd has the opportunity to repeat this success with Flagg by giving him extensive ball-handling responsibilities from the beginning of his career.

The strategy could accelerate Flagg’s development while providing Dallas with a long-term solution at the point-forward position rather than relying on Russell’s diminished capabilities.