What Does A Cooper Flagg Second-Year Leap Look Like For The Mavericks?

0:00The question is gentlemen on the table today and for you in the chat as well. What will a second year leap look like for Cooper Flag coming off his raining rookie of the year performance where he led the team in points rebounds assists all kinds of stuff, something that hadn't been done. This Michael Jordan did it when he won his rookie of the year. Ron Harrod Jr. What does a second year leap look like for Cooper Flag this year? Well, since I got to go first, I'm going to take the easy way, Bobby. And I'm taking the shooting. No. I'm taking the shooting everybody. And these are just some stats. It's just cool. By the way, court sketch.com. I just like it because it looks cool. But it does look cool. It just looks cool. So I like to use it. It shows you the high spots and cold spots of a player.

1:00So this is what Cooper Flag shot like from three point range, it's about 24 feet or more out. He shot 29%. So under 30% on three point shots. He shot also like on just wide open three. I noticed because I watch Jason Tim's pod. He said under 35% like wide open three point shots, which like that just has to get better. For people to start respecting your jump shot more even the main range of his only 33%. He just has to be more fresh on just getting jump shots. Now he actually from what I can remember from watching the Jason Tim podcast, like he's like points per possession on like those attempts were higher because people are still like closing out just because of like the ability to drive the basketball still kind of close to him in a lot of those ways. So he still gets like some type of scoring possession sometimes, even if he catches the ball at the three point line because his ability to drive the basketball and everything. So I think he will improve more and drive in the basketball that will hopefully open up more looks for him from three. Carrier and also clearly will help that thing.

2:01But for him, we talked to his trainer earlier this all season, the jump today is going to be his biggest swing factor because he's I think in his prime, he'll be a really good defender. I think it'd be a really good drive of the basketball. I think he'll be a really good secondary creator, but that just sounds like Scotty Barnes. And right now you need the jump shot to say, okay, so he bronzes a third team all in be a caliber player like without a jump shot. So for you to be a first team all in be a guy MVP guy to add a jump shot would get you to that level. I think that's in cool with flags future. I think, you know, from a, so I'll look at it from two angles. One, a little static and one is just sort of like qualitative. I think that last year he did a much better job as the season progressed of not turning his back to his defender on drives a lot. Like that was something that that he did a little bit too much in college and was doing at the beginning of the year and I granted the maps did not have a lot of spacing. And so I don't blame anyone on the team for kind of freaking out as they start to drive the lane and then they count the number of defenders that are within five feet of them

3:04and that I, you know, so, but he did a much better job of staying square to the rim, keeping his eyes forward, keeping his body going forward and his momentum going forward toward the rim because he does have that LeBron, Janus level of, oh my God, overwhelming physical force and size and strength is going downhill. With that though, you know, I would like to see him finish through players more, finish through contact more. You know, around the midpoint of the season and especially at the tail end of the season, he was going to the lane all the time, but he was taking a lot of floaters, a lot of four footers that could become two footers and seven footers that could become three footers. If he just was able to get one more dribble or one more step or one more, you know, half second at the beginning of his decision of his choice to drive, you know, and that makes everything easier to. I think he progresses a pass or a lot. I really have no qualms with his playmaking, especially his anticipatory playmaking.

4:06He was finding guys in the corner before that they were open toward the end of the year. Like he really advanced a lot in that regard, but I think just, you know, a combination of continuing to go at the basket and then also simplifying his game in the fourth quarter will take him so far, like in the, even in the first part of the season, whatever his numbers generally were pretty down, he was always very efficient in the fourth quarter, but in the last three to five minutes of games, it kind of dipped and in the last minute of games, it really dipped. And it takes guys years, in some cases, to develop go to moves, but it really seemed like in a lot of last second, you know, final 30 second kind of possessions, it looked like he didn't really know what his plan was. It looked like he was like, all right, if I just, if I start going this way, maybe something will happen as opposed to, I know if I do this, the defender is going to react to this way. And so I can either do this mover. I have these two counter moves in my back pocket if I need them. You know, so I'm sure he's going to develop those as time goes on, but what reliable go to consistent things does he have in his game that he can get to no matter what the defense

5:10looks like? If he can develop that this year, I would be amazed, but also that would be a leap, but a couple numbers. So adding on to what you were saying about his three points shooting, we're on only two guys that finished top 25 and points per game last year shot less than 33.3% from three, who shot below 30% Devin Booker who shot 33% and Denny Ovedia who shot 31.8%. Now Denny of course was one of many players that beefed their scoring numbers by taking just a ton of free throws. You've had legal drives last year. Last season, Coup took 4.9 free throws per game. The only player in the top 25 and points per game to take fewer per game was Michael Porter, Jr. That's four points of shot. 4.4. Yeah, and he's a perimeter oriented player. And he also was just doing whatever he wanted. Yeah, the whole season last year. Wow. Coup last year finished tied for 30 second in points per game. So you take a little bit more free throws, you get a little bit better at shooting three's that's going to juice your scoring number.

6:11He tied with Zion Williamson. Coup and Zion were the only, were the two highest scoring players in the league who shot below 30% from three. So zero players that finished ahead of them shot worse than them from three. And of the guys that finished tied with Coup or better in points per game, only Zion and Yannis took fewer threes per game than Coup. So he was shooting almost the worst from three, taking almost the fewest threes and also taking almost the fewest free throws. Threes and free throws are easy ways to score and easy ways to score more because not only is a three worth more than two, but also if you're taking a three, it means you're not getting your ass beat driving the lane. Yeah. He's a ton and he takes a beating and he's strong enough to absorb it young enough to be fine from it most of the time. But you fall down on the floor 40 times a game for 82 games. When April comes around, you're going to be a little slower than you were in October. You know, look back at 2019, 20, Luca, the first two weeks of the year, he's like the quickest I've ever seen him in my life. And by the end of the year, again, he was just getting his ass beat so many times that

7:13he started slowing down a little bit. So if you want Coup to produce more, those are two easy ways to do it. Take more threes, hopefully make more threes, but just taking them will help. And then also take more free throws, get to the line more learn to draw fows. In order to do that, you have to fight through contact, not shy away from it. So it's kind of paradoxical. I'm trying to make his game easier, but I'm also trying to take a more of a beating. I think generally just having a better reputation will help and get more calls to though. If your business runs on five different apps, 12 browser tabs and one spreadsheet that everyone's afraid to touch, it's probably time for Odo. Odo is an all in one business management software that connects every part of your business into one powerful easy to use platform. So instead of wasting time switching between disconnected systems, your entire business works together in real time. Your team moves faster, your data stays accurate, and you can actually focus on growing your business. That one unified system run your entire business from the first opportunity to the final payment

8:18everything works together in one place, whether you're a small business or managing a large operation, Odo gives you one flexible platform built to grow with you. Learn more at Odo.com. That's Odo.com. He averaged 21 points per game last year. If my man gets to the line seven, eight times a game shooting 36, 37% from three, making two, two and a half, three is per game. We're looking at a guy that's going to be averaged in 27, 28 points per game. Like the devastatingly efficient way that he got to the rim last year and what impressed me most about him was that and we marveled at it throughout the course of the year. His ability to get to his left hand and to finish with regularity with his left hand for a 19 year old was really kind of staggering to have that kind of office of maturity to finish with the off hand as much as he did. If he improves as a three point shooter and is getting to the lot more which to the some

9:21of the comments, I think his whistle will be a little bit better in his second year going forward. Yeah, this guy is going to be scoring 26, 27 points per game on a regular. If he maintains the same kind of level of a physicality that he had, especially whether it was finishing in the restricted area and we know how well he finished and transitioned to the Maris one of the best teams in transition in terms of fast break points last year. So those are going to be more easy bucks to come his way. So yeah, someone else had made the comment in the chat. Once he becomes a legitimate three level score, yeah, you can go ahead and cancel crystals because he physically is going to be overwhelming people. He's got enough quickness and he's got enough strength to be able to overpower guys, especially as he gets more comfortable finishing at the rim. And he gets more efficient at the three point line. Yikes, man. It's going to be scary hours for Cooper flag going forward. I mean, if we're worried about like perception of his game and of the Mavs and being one of the cool teams, it's going to get to play in Christmas and all this stuff like we've

10:21been talking about earlier in the show. He's got to make more highlights too and coup highlights are dunks. That means the Mavs got to get out and run. So they did come. They were one of the best teams running last year in transition. Yeah, do it. Do it more. Yeah. You know, that means forcing turnovers that means getting out and running purposefully pushing the pace in transition off of misses and even off of makes. Kyrie is going to help a lot there just getting the ball up the court quicker. He's also very decisive. Kyrie and he can break the defense down. He can do a lot of the things that that the Mavs point guards collectively when combined could do. Kyrie can do all of those things and more as one guy. You know, so you will always have someone who's very fast who is a good shooter, a good passer, smart player willing to play off the ball and let Koop do his thing next to him. So it'll make Koop's job a lot easier. It might mean that Koop has the ball in his hands less than he did last year. You know, but that is fine. Yeah. I'll mind you. If you get healthier and get more efficient, I think that's perfectly fine. But with shooting, it's so hard to like predict that, which is why I'm like, I assume eventually,

11:25like I said, age 25, I don't know when the shooting will like be better. Like he was just a terrible. I mean, we don't say it's like the worst jump shooter that as many points as him or more last season. So even to get the league average is like a pretty like it's a big jump and just in difficulty. Like it might not hard. You work at a very difficult thing to do. Does not mean you can't do it. He means how difficult it is. But one thing that I know for a fact, he could change about changing anything, changing the playstyle type is the drives. He was 12.28 drives last year. That was in the top 20 ish, like top 30 ish, I mean versus Dinyovdi, a player that he's probably better than, but then he just knows how to do these little things more. Then you have to let the league in drive per game with 19.4 drives per game. A little better spacing on that team. Also I think Denny is, you know, a lot of that was just forcing it and not like. Yeah, no. Kind of being selfish. I don't even necessarily. Yeah, he just, he really forces it. Yeah. He doesn't have to be like Dinyovdi, I per say, but like I'm just showing you that that's the gap. Like he doesn't, he shouldn't probably lead the league in drives because like it's

12:26Diny, Jaylen Brown, but then you have SGA, Kevin, poor, Janna, random, Lee is top five in drive and Devin, book or genre at. So like these are the players that are just getting to the rim. The only like real like good three point should are really out of that is probably like Jaylen Brown and SGA kind of. Yeah. But those aren't even necessarily like the best three point shooters, but they've gotten very fit to see especially like SGA, the drives equal free throws. And because SGA drives the ball so much, it also like he technically can drive like his mid-range shot has improved and gotten better and his go to shot because he drives the basketball so much again to the rim or the mid range. So if cook and get his mid range shot up by just like getting more space like he like with the mid range shot, especially like closer to the rim. He already has the floater, but like he can get the pull up around the free throw range. But that would really unlock it right now. I looked up his mid range versus Apollo bank heroes who we laughed at the other day like Apollo is about 42% in the mid range on like 6% frequency. So like not many versus coups about 11% frequency, but shot only 33% from that mid range area.

13:29So Apollo who we think is a terrible jump shooter. Shot like 6% points higher from the mid range and less than 1% higher from three on around the same frequency. And you don't necessarily want to go taking 15 mid ease of game, but unless you're just devastatingly efficient. You have to be even a divin. You have to be even a divin. You have to be even a divin. I don't want the ramp. The shape getting to the rim is better than shape pulling up from 18. But if you pull up from 18 every now and then because your guys back and off from breaking out because you're driving, that's also easy. It's just, it's an easy way to score. Like how many times can you put the ball through the net without falling down without getting speared in the side by someone without having to worry about tearing your knee when you land? Like I want the regular season to get easier for him. Yeah. And sometimes knocking down a little 15 foot pull up, it makes it a whole lot easier if you have that in your bag. Is an all NBA team and an all star parents realistic in your two foot cover flag? Sure. All star wide at all all NBA is tough is just the league is just so much talent.

14:30We just always talk about the Christmas late open nights late like the league is just absolutely. Yeah, but if you, but injuries, you know, you got, yeah, well, you have to play 65 games. But really, if you play like 55, you can file a petition and for sympathy and you'll probably get on a, get it on a spot. So coupe has a big margin for error there. You know, and sometimes all NBA is like a little biased toward teams with winning record. But also almost never is. If you put up big numbers and get a lot of fan vote, you're going to make you are going to make the team. So I think he's going to put up good numbers. I think a big separating factor between coupe and some other guys that'll finish top 20, top 30 and scoring is that coupe also will get pretty good block numbers, pretty good steel numbers. And I think his assist numbers are going to go up this year. Maybe not as rebounding, but maybe his points. So like if you, if you progress on like four main categories and shoot even a couple points better from three, I think you're going to raise a lot of eyebrows. I wouldn't be surprised if the numbers is last year. I was 21 points for games 6 points, seven rebounds for game 4.5 assists and 1.2 steals for

15:31game. I would not be shocked if we're looking at a 27, seven and five and a half with a sys per game. So 27 points for game, seven and a half boards for game. Yeah. Five and a half of sys per game. I get to be able to find people. I don't think that's out of the realm of. Can you look at that body? Yeah, I mean, starting last season, I've been 27, seven, seven, and a high in people in the NBA ever. I forget when the cutoff was, but I think it might have just been that was so arbitrary starting with his 49 point game. So this is only a 26 game sample size, but 25 points, seven boards, five assists, a steal in a block. If you take it even further back to the game, you scored 35. So November 29th at the clippers. So this is a 50 game sample size, nice round number, 23 points, 6.8 boards, five assists, a steal in a block. That's pretty good. 24, seven and five feels like really safe. Yeah. Pretty darn good, man. And the team will probably win like we all kind of agreed 10 to 15 more games this year

16:32than they did last year, if not more. So I think he'll get bonus points for that too. I mean, if if Conk and Iple did, then Koop should trail's point. Jalen wins with 21, five and five and the 25 26 season was 13. Molly and be very able to. I mean, they're 65. What do you win them games? Yeah, you get into the point. Oh, I was a one more. Yeah, you get into the point, which is I mean, he put up those kinds of numbers on a terrific basketball team. Yes. Like, your numbers will look a lot better when your team is winning, you know, 50, 60 games, you know, in a season at the Mavs, Maraculously, we find a win when 55 games this year and Koop is going for 26, seven. He'll be all NBA. I think he'll be all in all NBA team this year for damn sure and Kyrie will probably join him if that is the case that they're winning 55 games and doing that.