In the end, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd made the decision everyone was expecting.
Cooper Flagg will start at point guard. D’Angelo Russell will not.
The new free agent signing Russell is expected to come off the bench, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“Just be a basketball player, whenever I get in the game,” Russell said of the role, via MacMahon. “It just comes down to winning and finishing the game. However I can help finish the game and always impact winning, is my goal.”
The decision had to be made because Kyrie Irving is out until some point in 2026 with a knee injury.
Flagg is far less a traditional point guard, but the move does make some sense.
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Why isn’t D’Angelo Russell starting?
D’Angelo Russell’s starting spot was most in jeopardy for defensive reasons.
The Mavs’ starting 2-guard is Klay Thompson, who has lost his early-career defensive capabilities.
The concern was that Russell and Thompson side-by-side would be a leaky defensive backcourt, and that’s not what Kidd wants.
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Why is Cooper Flagg starting at PG?
Flagg playing point guard allows the Mavs to make a huge defensive upgrade to their lineup.
Instead of starting Russell, they insert P.J. Washington into the fray. He’s a much bigger, stronger, quality defensive player. He helps out on the glass and can still make good things happen offensively.
The Mavs can rely on Russell to lead the second unit and have a high usage rate when most of the starters are off the floor.
Dallas can then decide on its finishing lineups based on whether it needs to prioritize offense or defense.
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