Those closest to Flagg are optimistic about the pairing after the two spent the offseason working together.
DALLAS - The NBA offseason produced no shortage of new star pairings. LeBron James joined Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia. LaMelo Ball landed in Minnesota next to Anthony Edwards. Anthony Davis and Trae Young will debut alongside AJ Dybantsa in Washington. Each of those combinations has been analysed repeatedly since July.
One duo has drawn considerably less attention, largely because it is not technically new. Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg have been teammates for a full season without ever sharing the floor in a game and that finally changes in October.
The people around Flagg have already seen enough to feel good about the pairing.
Matt MacKenzie, who works with Flagg on his skill development, discussed the pairing in an interview with RG.com covering the reigning Rookie of the Year's offseason.
"We're all really optimistic about that," MacKenzie said. "Kyrie and Cooper have had an opportunity to spend a little time together this offseason. Obviously, they are two very high-IQ basketball players. I think they complement each other really well."
That last observation is the crux of why the fit is intriguing. Irving operates as one of the league's most skilled ball-handlers, while Flagg spent his rookie season demonstrating feel and passing vision unusual for a teenager. Neither needs the ball constantly to be effective and both read the floor well enough to play off each other rather than take turns.
The production each brings is substantial. Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals as a rookie, leading Dallas in all four categories. Irving, in his last full season before the injury, averaged 24.7 points and 4.6 assists while shooting better than 40% from 3-point range. Putting those two on the floor together gives the Mavericks something they simply have not had, which is two players capable of generating a quality shot when the offense breaks down.
MacKenzie also addressed the dynamic between the two, which extends beyond basketball.
"I know that Kyrie has a ton of respect for the player that Cooper is," he said. "Just like Coach May, he wants to continue to help Cooper take that next step in his career."
That relationship started long before either of them could play together. Irving spent last season rehabbing a torn ACL while Flagg carried the offense and the veteran found ways to contribute anyway.
"Cooper was able to spend quite a bit of time last season with Kyrie," MacKenzie said. "Although Kyrie wasn't able to play, he was able to be somewhat of a mentor off the court, on the bench and around the practice facility."
Those months could end up being more valuable than they appeared at the time. Flagg got an entire season of access to one of the most cerebral players in the sport without the competitive friction that sometimes exists between a young star and a veteran competing for the same touches. By the time they actually play together, the relationship will have been building for more than a year.
The on-court sample so far is limited but encouraging.
"They've had a chance to spend some time together on the court and in workouts when they've played pickup a little bit," MacKenzie said. "I think they really enjoyed playing with each other. I think we're going to be able to see that joy come October and November."
The question Dusty May has to answer is how to structure it. Flagg handled an enormous creation burden last season out of necessity and Irving has spent his career with the ball in his hands. Finding the balance between those two realities is the most interesting tactical challenge facing the Mavericks.
For now, the people closest to Flagg like what they have seen. The rest gets answered when the games start.
