It may not have come as a shock to fans when the Dallas Mavericks officially announced that Kyrie Irving would be ruled out for the remainder of the season, but it formally meant the team would be focusing on its future. With the future in mind and this summer’s NBA Draft, the Mavericks may be making a brutal mistake when it comes to Irving and Cooper Flagg’s on-court chemistry.

There’s no doubt that Flagg will benefit the most from Irving’s absence, as it will give him even more time to develop his offensive game with the ball in his hands, but the concern that some fans have begun to have is how the two will play together without any on-court experience.

For the Mavericks, next season will need to be an instant 180 from this hellish year, meaning they will need to focus on winning games without sole possession of their 2027 draft pick, and without Irving and Flagg getting comfortable together this season, it may spell bad news for Dallas’ future if things start rocky next season.

Irving and Flagg not playing together may have bad future implications

When it was announced that Anthony Davis would be traded away from the Mavericks to the Washington Wizards, many fans were already anticipating the team shutting down Irving in the means of tanking. What fans aren’t considering is how Irving and Flagg playing together might’ve been an early precursor to a long-forming duo.

There’s no doubt that Flagg and Irving are both good enough players that, when they finally can play together, it will be a seamless transition, but Irving may have had the opportunity to teach Flagg a lot during his rookie season.

When Irving does finally return to the hardwood, it’s a likely outcome that Flagg will be moved to a primary off-ball role, which is something the Mavericks can’t afford without a healthy Irving. Learning to play off the ball is a skill that Flagg has already learned, but he will master this while playing alongside Irving.

Throughout Flagg’s rookie campaign, he has made leaps in his offensive game where many analysts believed that would be his weak point. There is no doubt that having Irving in his ear on the court will help make Flagg’s decision-making even better.

By trading Davis, the Mavericks fully committed to Flagg being their franchise star, and sidelining Irving for the remainder of the season was smart for the team’s short-term future, but it may have adverse effects on the 19-year-old.

As the Mavericks ease back into the regular season after a needed All-Star break, Flagg and his on-court progress will be at the top of every fan’s mind. With the team already opting fully into next season, wins will be scarce, but as long as Flagg and other young players begin to make progress, Dallas can look at this period as a success.

The Mavericks are currently sitting at a 19-35 record with little motivation to win more games, and this is yet another reason why Irving won’t make his long-awaited return this season, no matter how negative it may be for Flagg.