NBA – Former Mavs coach’s shocking take: “Between Cooper Flagg and Luka Doncic, I’ll take him”

Par Joël Pütz | Journaliste sportif

Less than five months after the Luka Doncic trade, Cooper Flag now embodies the future of Dallas. Avery Johnson, who was once the franchise’s coach, didn’t hesitate when it came to choosing between the two stars.

Everyone expected it, and now we were just waiting for confirmation. Whichever franchise inherited the first pick, it was obvious they were going to draft Cooper Flagg, as his potential is superior to the rest of their talented draft class. Even though his arrival will force Anthony Davis to play center, something he doesn’t particularly enjoy, this opportunity was simply impossible for the Mavericks to miss.

It’s now official: the former Duke big man is a member of the Texas franchise. This should give fans renewed hope as they mourn Luka Doncic’s departure last February. Many still haven’t forgiven the front office for trading the superstar to the Lakers, even though Dallas’ future was built around him for over six years… before everything changed.

Avery Johnson decides between Luka Doncic and Cooper Flagg

Regardless, it’s Flagg’s job to lead the Mavs to championships in the coming years. The least we can say is that those who gravitate around the franchise are optimistic about it. Their former coach, Avery Johnson, who led them to the Finals in 2006, didn’t hesitate for a second when asked on CBS who he preferred between El Matador and the Dallas rookie:

Man, give me Cooper Flagg. This team is going to be tremendous once Kyrie Irving gets healthy. You’re still going to have Anthony Davis when he’s healthy. They’re going to re-sign Daniel Gafford. Obviously, there’s been talk about Kyrie Irving re-signing. This team is gonna be built to be one of the best two-way teams in the league, and they didn’t even have to really sacrifice any of their depth.

They have some quality young players coming off that bench… This is really exciting. The Mavericks’ future is bright. But they have a window, when they’re healthy, of the next 2-3 years with this roster as currently constructed.

Not sure Doncic appreciates this statement when he came so close to the title in 2024…

Beyond that, it’s not clear that such comments will do Cooper Flagg any favors. He’s already facing enormous pressure before even taking his first steps in the NBA, and he’s also taking over from one of the best players on the planet, who was averaging nearly a triple-double in Dallas. Following in his footsteps won’t be a walk in the park for the Maine Event…