Cooper Flagg's second NBA season could be the one that turns the promising young Dallas Mavericks star into one of the best players in the league, both in real life and in fantasy. After averaging 21.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG and 4.5 APG on his way to Rookie of the Year honors, Flagg has a chance to make another leap. ESPN fantasy basketball experts Andre Snellings and Eric Moody weighed in on what it will take and how high his ceiling is.
Snellings expects a big jump in scoring. As a rookie, then-head coach Jason Kidd asked Flagg to play point guard, which helped his all-around game but limited his aggression as a scorer. Playing more off the ball with the green light to score, Flagg could approach 30 PPG while maintaining solid peripherals. Moody sees a possible first All-Star selection and notes Flagg scored 32 points in the season opener against the Houston Rockets and had 29 points and 11 assists against the Miami Heat.
Both experts agree that Flagg's outside shooting is the biggest area for improvement. He shot just 29.5% from 3-point range last season, and defenders often gave him space on the perimeter. Moody believes a jump to around 35% would open up more chances to attack the basket. Snellings argues Flagg must be more aggressive on both ends, attacking the rim and playing the passing lanes defensively.
The return of Kyrie Irving after a missed season should also amplify Flagg's game. Irving can handle much of the playmaking duties that Flagg took on as a rookie, while drawing defensive attention and creating more open looks. Both experts see Irving's presence as a significant boost to Flagg's scoring and assist potential.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing