Mark Cuban Issues Cooper Flagg Demand for Mavericks

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kevin Binoy | Last updated Jun 27, 2025 5:58 PM ET

When one chapter ends, another begins, and for the Dallas Mavericks, that couldn’t be more true. Losing Luka Doncic was a tough pill to swallow, and fans are still adjusting to life without their franchise cornerstone.

But with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Mavs may have found their next big thing: Cooper Flagg. The hype is real, and with good reason. Now, with Flagg officially in Dallas, minority owner Mark Cuban is already setting the tone, and he’s got some big expectations for his newest star.

While speaking to the press, Cuban shared his thoughts on what the Mavs should do with Flagg and what the starting lineup would look like. He said, "I’d send a text to J-Kidd, point guard, point guard, point guard, let him bring the ball up."

Mark Cuban on Cooper Flagg and where he can play:

“I’d send a text to J-Kidd, point guard, point guard, point guard, let him bring the ball up…”

Talks about a lineup of:

- Cooper Flagg
- Klay Thompson
- P.J. Washington
- Anthony Davis
- Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford… pic.twitter.com/nkUYYFhRUn
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) June 27, 2025

Cuban went on to share his thoughts on a starting five. With Flagg set to run the point, Klay Thompson at shooting guard, and a front court featuring P.J. Washington, Anthony Davis and either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford, Dallas is shaping up to be one of the biggest and most physically imposing teams in the league.

Flagg will hit the ground running as Jason Kidd also confirmed that he would be starting as point guard in his Summer League debut against Lakers. With that being said, how did Flagg end up with the Mavericks in the first place?

When the Mavericks landed the No. 1 overall pick for the first time in franchise history at the NBA Draft Lottery in Chicago, it felt like a stroke of luck. But that lucky break actually started a bit earlier.

Just last month, Dallas won a coin flip with the Bulls, who both had identical 39-43 records, which nudged their lottery odds up ever so slightly from 1.7% to 1.8%. That tiny 0.1% boost didn’t seem like much at the time, but on lottery night, it made all the difference. Meanwhile, the Bulls? They ended up with pick No. 12.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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