The Dallas Mavericks were defeated 122-110 by the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, dropping the Mavs' record to 2-4 to begin the 2025-26 NBA season. Cooper Flagg continues to start at point guard — a move that has been questioned by many since it is not the rookie's natural position. Flagg has certainly enjoyed some impressive moments so far, but Dallas would clearly benefit from having a true point guard on the roster. Head coach Jason Kidd recently explained the decision to start Flagg at point guard, via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.
“There’s a couple of things behind him playing point guard,” Kidd told reporters in Mexico City. “One is our health… Coming out of training camp, we had a lot of injuries, so being able to have Cooper handle the ball… The other part of handling the ball is being able to handle the pressure when April comes around and you’re playing for something greater. Just to have that experience early on here is a blessing.”
Having another ball-handler does not hurt the situation, but Flagg should not be starting at point guard for a win-now team. Kidd's decision is seemingly that of a rebuilding squad — yet Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison traded the team's former point guard, Luka Doncic, in a win-now move to add more defense.
The strategy does not line up with Harrison's plan — at least on paper. Starting a veteran such as D'Angelo Russell while having Flagg play the three would likely give Dallas the best opportunity to win right now. However, Russell is a combo-guard. Even Kyrie Irving — who is expected to return in either late 2025 or early 2026 — played more of a two-guard role alongside Doncic before the trade last season.
Do Mavericks need a true point guard?
In today's NBA, the point guard position is not necessarily what it once was. Pass-first guards such as Chris Paul, Steven Nash and even Jason Kidd once defined the league. Now, many point guards — such as Doncic — can score with the best players in the NBA. However, the best point guards in today's game are still exceptional when it comes to setting up the offense, leading the way and finding open teammates.
Dallas would benefit from bringing in a true point guard, something Kidd may understand since he happens to be a Hall of Fame point guard. Whether it is through a trade, free agency or in the NBA Draft, Dallas needs to give Cooper Flagg someone who can consistently help him receive better looks. The current Mavericks' roster has not done a good job of helping Flagg, but part of that is on the coaching staff for having Flagg be in a role as one of the primary play-making guards.
The point guard experiment is understandable, but it is not a win-now move. At 2-4, the Mavericks have to ask themselves if they envision the team being a legitimate contender this year. Either way, going out and adding a point guard will not only help Flagg, but it will help the roster overall.
