Mavs Training Camp Just Got More Competitive

Now, Flagg is set to face not only novices and hopefuls but established NBA players.

With that being said, the Maine Event is as self-assured as he is skilled. In that same vein, he can lean on his Team USA Select Team experience during training camp and the upcoming season. Knowing that he’s played well while sharing the floor with the NBA’s top players should only boost his confidence, while the desire to prove he’s worthy of becoming their new face of the franchise should make him that much more competitive.

Anthony Davis Returns

As if Flagg’s arrival wasn’t enough good news, Davis has now been cleared to play 5-on-5 scrimmages after undergoing offseason surgery to repair a detached retina, according to The Stein Line insider Marc Stein. Earlier this month, there was a question of whether he would be healthy enough to participate in training camp. Now, it’s looking like he’ll join fellow big men Gafford and Dereck Lively II on the court in the coming days.

With that in mind, Gafford and Lively have more riding on the results of the next few weeks than Davis. As a 10-time All-Star that’s still elite on both ends, there’s no question that he’ll be a featured starter. However, there’s enough overlap between Gafford and Lively to question who’ll join him in the first unit. Even worse, because Davis is a hybrid big that excels at playing center, the person who loses that training camp battle could face a minute crunch.

If one of the team’s training camp invites stands out so much that they look like a rotation piece, that only exacerbates the issue.

Dark Horse Drama

For example, say 7-foot-5 center Jamarion Sharp shows that he can help the team win with his finishing and shot-blocking. At that point, the Mavs could gauge the trade value of Gafford or Lively, then flip them for draft assets or impact player.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl is another dark horse to keep an eye on. After signing a training camp deal with the Mavs this weekend (h/t The Stein Line), the 24-year-old could help diversify Dallas’s lineups. As a stretch-big that’s made 34.2% of his career 3s, he fits the archetype that Mavericks former controlling owner Mark Cuban believes the team needs.

The Perimeter Puzzle

Similarly to Davis, Irving doesn’t have to worry about coming off the bench when he returns. Interestingly, though he has the better reputation, he’s not as accomplished as Davis or a true two-end player. Still, he’s a highly decorated offensive dynamo whose skill level is out of this world. Verily, there’s not a single player on the roster that can match his scoring ability.

As a result, the player that enters the season as a starter is a place-holder for Irving. They can potentially start at the other backcourt position when Irving returns, but that’s the best they could hope for. At this juncture, D’Angelo Russell is projected to be Dallas’s stop-gap solution. Yet, because Mavs head coach Jason Kidd has been intrigued by Flagg’s playmaking, it’s possible that they go with a jumbo lineup.

Of course, it’s worth mentioning that starting Flagg at point guard also opens up minutes at small forward.

This is primarily important for PJ Washington, a veteran 3-and-D forward whose contract was extended this offseason. Furthermore, Max Christie proved that he was a starting-caliber scorer after being traded to Dallas. More importantly, he consistently plays hard-nosed defense, which has been one of Russell’s problem areas. Therefore, starting Washington or Christie rather than Russell could help them be a more balanced team.

Even if Christie’s lean frame is better suited for defending shooting guards, Thompson has the size to guard small forwards. Frankly, as Thompson’s already 35, picking up the less agile wings could actually be beneficial.

Point Guard Battle

Even if Kidd is only starting the Flagg-Thompson-Washington or Flagg-Christie-Thompson perimeter group temporarily, it puts him in a bind. If Russell can stay out of his head and feelings, a sixth man role would actually be perfect for him. Unfortunately, there’s definitely reason to believe that he would falter in that effort after he demonstrated a victim mentality during his time with the Lakers.

The issue is complicated by the fact Dallas has several rotation-level backcourt pieces:

Jaden Hardy, a scoring-minded combo guard shooting 38.1% from 3 for his career. Brandon Williams, a potential breakout player who averaged 14.6 points and 3.9 assists per game after the 2025 All-Star Break. Though he isn’t on a standard contract, Dennis Smith Jr. is a reliable point-of-attack defender and pick-and-roll ball-handler that could vie for one. Then there’s Dante Exum, a high-level defender and solid 3-point threat who can facilitate.

It’s highly improbable that all four of those guards would’ve been in the rotation anyways. However, if Russell was to come off the bench, two or three of them might become glued to it.

House Of Cards

Maybe Hardy will never be more than a shooter. Perhaps Williams can’t capture lightning in a bottle. Smith might not make it out of training camp. Exum could lose his touch from beyond the arc. If the Mavs house of cards comes tumbling down, bringing Russell off the bench a much more feasible option. One might go as far as to say it would even be an attractive solution.