Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd confirmed that Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford will remain with the team even when Duke Blue Devils basketball star Cooper Flagg gets selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft in late June.
Kidd addressed how Flagg would fit in with the team before revealing who “the team” was referring to.
“When you talk about [how] he’s 18 years old and won’t turn 19 until December, it’s just amazing, his maturity. You look at both sides of the floor. Defensively, he’s not afraid to guard and then on the offensive end, his ability to shoot and also be able to play off the dribble. When you talk about 6-8, 6-9, to be able to do that, it becomes exciting as a coach but I think it becomes exciting as a teammate,” Kidd said, per the Dallas Morning News.
“I think to be able to add a piece like that with [Anthony Davis], Klay [Thompson], when you talk about [Kyrie Irving] and then our two young centers, when you look at [Dereck Lively II] and [Daniel Gafford], I think we’re really excited to have this opportunity to add a piece like this. The young man who we will have the opportunity to draft at No. 1 will be able to play right away and help us.”
D Magazine’s Jake Kemp tabbed Davis and Likely as likely keepers set to play alongside Flagg. Kemp was unclear about Irving besides not expecting the 33-year-old back from a torn ACL next season.
“The Mavericks enter the summer with a decidedly different set of circumstances than they or anyone else (besides Those Who Rigged the Lottery) expected them to. From a free agency standpoint, I’m not sure Flagg changes much, because this isn’t a team in a position to spend much. But as Josh Bowe began to delve into last week, the sorts of trades the Mavs might explore could be very different with Flagg in the fold. I think a lot about that opening night play I described, Flagg’s first. I know the ending,” Kemp prefaced before saying, “But the rest is murky, other than the fact we know Kyrie Irving won’t be on the floor, and if healthy, Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II will be. The next few months are about figuring out the rest, and really, the rest is, what’s the plan with Cooper Flagg?”
Nico Harrison may have had the work done for him this offseason when Flagg fell into his lap despite unlikely draft lottery odds, specifically, a 1.8% chance of winning.
Holding the line seems like the popular move among the fanbase and the head coach.