Cooper Flagg remains sidelined despite practice. Mavs strategize around rookie's absence, eyeing future draft potential as season nears crucial phase.
DALLAS - If you are a supporter - or at least understanding - of the idea of "Organic Tanking''?
You're probably not too disturbed, or too surprised, at this rather major announcement ...
As NBA play resumes, Cooper Flagg is going to continue sitting out for the Dallas Mavericks ... all despite a lengthy rest that came during the recent All-Star Break.
The team revealed on its initial injury report that the No. 1 overall pick in last year's NBA Draft won't play on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The reason is legit enough, as he is continuing his recovery from a foot sprain.
At the same time, he did participate at some level in the Mavs' Thursday practice.
Because of the injury, Flagg didn't play in the team's last game against the LA Lakers before the All-Star Weekend. The 19-year-old budding superstar also failed to suit up in the Rising Stars Challenge.
When might he return?
Flagg's next chance to play would be on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers. ... and if he does? He'll show off the same stuff that makes him the heavy Rookie of the Year favorite, as the teenager from Duke has played in 49 games so far this season and is averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 34.1 minutes of play.
But if he doesn't? For the 19-35 Mavs, mired in 12th place in the NBA West, losses have value, too.
And the Mavs (and fans who understand the big picture, which means the worse a team is one year, the better their draft pick might be the next year) will have to live with that.