The Dallas Mavericks' No. 1 pick has been nursing a midfoot sprain since before the All-Star break, and while he may not fully be healthy enough to return, the Mavs' injury report before Tuesday's game in Charlotte is a sign of forward progress.
Cooper Flagg has missed the last seven games with a midfoot sprain that has ailed him since before the week-long All-Star break. In that stretch, his Dallas Mavericks have lost 13 of their last 15 games and are ready to embark on a season-long road stretch.
The trip begins in Charlotte with a matchup against the Hornets, who are surprisingly surging behind the efforts of Kon Knueppel, Flagg's former roommate last season at Duke and the potential frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award as the top pick continues to miss games.
According to our colleague Grant Afseth, Flagg has gotten a slight status upgrade, but will likely grow his missed games streak to eight.
Afseth reports that Flagg is now listed as "doubtful" for the Hornets game Tuesday night. So while not it does not suggest a return to action, it is some sign of progress compared to the outright "out" listings Flagg has seen in recent weeks.
"The change in designation is the first sign of progress since Flagg suffered the injury on Feb. 10 in Phoenix, with the Mavericks announcing the diagnosis after an MRI the following day," Afseth said.
Flagg will miss his 12th game overall if he sits in Charlotte. The Mavericks (21-39) remain out of contention for a postseason berth, but all signs point to the team still preferring to get the 19-year-old reps to close out his rookie season once he recovers.
Since trading Anthony Davis at the Feb. 5 trade deadline, Flagg has officially taken the reins as Dallas' top contributor. He is averaging 20.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 48 percent shooting this season.
The last time the Mavericks faced the Hornets was arguably Flagg's best performance of his debut season. He posted a record-breaking 49 points, but Knueppel (who scored 34) stole the show by stealing a pass, drawing a foul and hitting the game-winning free throws for a 123-121 finish on Jan. 29.
Flagg's scoring onslaught was an NBA record for points scored by a teenager and is the most points scored in a game by a Maverick this season.
But with him still on the injury report, we will have to wait until next season for a head-to-head bout against his former college teammate.
In the time until then, Knueppel could steal this year's Rookie of the Year award away from the top pick if he keeps this pace.
The Hornets (30-31) host the Mavericks at 6 p.m. CST from Spectrum Center. Charlotte has no injuries to report while on a four-game win streak and on the edge of the play-in tournament (10th-place) in the Eastern Conference standings.
Joining Flagg on the injury report for Dallas is Naji Marshall (finger), Kyrie Irving (knee), Dereck Lively II (foot), and Marvin Bagley III (neck). All players are ruled out.
P.J. Washington (ankle) is probable while Klay Thompson, who suffered an adductor contusion in the Mavericks' last loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, is listed as day-to-day.
