Kyrie Irving's experience and Cooper Flagg's rapid rise give Dusty May two capable offensive engines as Dallas enters a new season.
For the first time in nearly two years, the Mavericks will have two players capable of carrying an offense. When Kyrie Irving returns to the floor next to Cooper Flagg, Dusty May will have to decide who the offense should run through.
Irving's case rests on experience and proven production. He remains one of the most skilled offensive players of his generation, and he can generate a quality shot against any coverage. Before his ACL tear, he averaged more than 24 points per game for Dallas while shooting efficiently from all three levels. He also will have fresh legs after missing an entire season.
Flagg's case rests on his trajectory. He averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists as a rookie while leading the team in four statistical categories. He accomplished all of that as a teenager while carrying an offense with no other reliable creator. Dallas also has a strong incentive to build around the player who could remain with the franchise for the next decade rather than the one entering his mid-30s.
The most likely outcome is that neither player holds the role permanently. The pecking order will shift according to matchups, game flow and which player has the stronger night. Irving can take over in the fourth quarter, as he has throughout his career, while Flagg can carry longer stretches in the middle of games, when his size creates mismatches. Those approaches can coexist comfortably.
What complicates any projection is that nobody knows exactly what Irving will look like after the injury. He turns 35 in March, and even a player with his skill set faces real questions after 16 months away and major knee surgery. If he returns close to his previous form, the debate will remain open. If he needs time to find his rhythm or requires load management early in the season, Flagg could become the default option by circumstance rather than choice.
That circumstance would not be a disaster. Flagg proved last season that he could shoulder a heavy burden, and doing so again with better spacing around him would accelerate his growth. The difference this year is that he would not have to carry the offense alone.
The version of this situation that excites Mavericks fans most is the one in which the answer stops mattering. A healthy Irving and a rising Flagg would give Dallas two players who demand defensive attention, create opportunities for teammates and take over games independently. That combination could become one of the more entertaining duos in the league.
For that to happen, the pieces must fit. The first few weeks of the season should provide meaningful answers about how May structures the offense, who controls the ball in late-game situations and how the usage splits when both players are on the floor.
