NBA Notes: Mavericks, Cooper Flagg, Thunder, Cason Wallace, Spurs

Mavericks

The Mavericks have Cooper Flagg. Apparently, that alone was not enough to convince ESPN that their immediate future belongs among the NBA’s brightest.

ESPN ranked Dallas 17th in its projection of each team’s next three seasons, as Austin Veazey of NBA on SI detailed.

“The Mavericks rank near the middle of the pack in almost every subcategory, so they’re a proper fit for the middle of the pack,” ESPN’s Zach Kram wrote.

That assessment may seem low considering Flagg won Rookie of the Year and became a franchise cornerstone before turning 20. The problem is everything surrounding him.

Kyrie Irving is 34 and returning from an ACL injury. Anthony Davis is no longer in the picture. Dallas also does not control its own first-round picks again until 2031, limiting the front office’s flexibility.

The Mavericks do have other young pieces, including Dereck Lively II, Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea and Max Christie. Still, none projects as anything close to Flagg.

So ESPN may not be underrating Flagg. It may simply be questioning how quickly Dallas can construct the right team around him.

The Mavericks already traded one generational star because they apparently did not appreciate what they had. Their next three years will be about proving they learned something before landing another.

Thunder

Cason Wallace has already become one of the NBA’s better perimeter defenders. His next assignment could be proving he is considerably more than that.

Bleacher Report selected Wallace as the Thunder player most likely to break out this season, as Grayson Buchanan of NBA on SI relayed.

The opportunity is obvious. Lu Dort is now with the Hawks, leaving Wallace in position to assume a larger role and potentially move into Oklahoma City’s starting lineup.

Wallace earned second-team All-Defensive honors last season and shot 48.4 percent from beyond the arc during the playoffs. That percentage will be difficult to duplicate, but it suggested his offensive ceiling may be higher than previously believed.

The Thunder already have Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren commanding attention. Wallace does not need to become a primary scorer. A more aggressive and dependable offensive version of Wallace could be plenty.

There eventually will be a financial consideration. Oklahoma City cannot pay every promising young player forever, particularly as its stars become more expensive.

That is a future problem, however. The current one is figuring out who replaces Dort’s defensive impact without weakening the offense. Wallace may be the answer to both parts.

Spurs

The Spurs have assembled the type of young core every NBA organization wants.

Eventually, they will receive the accompanying bill.

Matt Guzman of NBA on SI laid out the looming arithmetic. Victor Wembanyama’s five-year, $255.2 million extension begins in 2027/28, while De’Aaron Fox will make more than $53 million that season.

Stephon Castle could become eligible for a maximum rookie extension that begins in 2028/29. Dylan Harper may follow one year later. If both develop as expected, San Antonio could eventually be paying four players maximum or near-maximum salaries.

That is precisely the type of roster-building challenge the NBA’s second apron was designed to create.

“The point was to design a system … more NFL-like,” commissioner Adam Silver said this week, “where every team was put in a position where, regardless of market size, they could compete for championships.”

Silver called it “the best system we’ve ever had,” citing eight different champions in eight seasons.

Fans of expensive contenders may disagree. The second apron does more than create a larger tax bill. It restricts trades, free-agent spending and other methods teams use to improve.

San Antonio is not in immediate danger. The Spurs remain below the luxury-tax line and first apron entering this season.

The difficult decisions arrive later. If Wembanyama, Castle and Harper all become stars, keeping Fox through the end of his contract in 2030 could become increasingly complicated.

Success created this potential problem. The Spurs would gladly accept it.