Mavericks coach Jason Kidd already envisioning how to use 'that kid from Duke' ahead of NBA Draft

Jason Kidd and the Mavericks have had some interesting NBA Draft commentary

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was all smiles while appearing on the DLLS Mavericks podcast Monday morning when talking about presumed No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. When asked about who the Mavericks were going to take with the top pick in June's draft, the Mavericks coach slyly said "We love that kid from Duke." Kidd eventually said Flagg's name once, though he corrected himself to go back to saying "that kid from Duke" as if he was going to get in trouble for leaking state secrets. 

Kidd could've showed up with a Mavericks Flagg jersey in one hand, channeling former Knicks director of basketball operations Dave DeBusschere, and wouldn't have gotten in trouble, so not saying his name like he's Voldemort was a funny choice. For context, DeBusschere famously and conveniently had a Knicks Patrick Ewing jersey on hand at the 1985 NBA Draft lottery after it was announced New York landed the No. 1 overall pick, that's how widely known it was who they were picking. 

Similar to that '85 Knicks team, everyone knows the Mavericks are going to take Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the draft. There were questions about if Dallas would trade it to land a more established player, but those concerns were put to rest when several reports surfaced saying Dallas wouldn't, not even for Giannis Antetokounmpo who could be traded this summer.

So that means the Mavericks will be in the Flagg business, and while it's still over a month away, and next season is much further away, Kidd is already envisioning on how to use "that kid from Duke" next year.

"I see a young man who is only 18 years old who can do a lot of things," Kidd said on Monday. "He won't be 19 until December, which is really surprising, but I think when you talk about being able to play 2 through 4, and in today's game, you might be able to sneak him around the five, if we're going to label him as a position player. Maybe there's still some growth, only being 18, he could still grow. But I think you can play him at the two, his ability to shoot the ball, to be able to put on the floor. Again, as I talked about, we can have a big group out there that could start."

It's important to take things like this with a grain of salt. Until the Mavericks draft Flagg and go through the offseason where they could make some other changes to the roster, we won't know where the Duke phenom will slot on this roster. However, with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford already on the team, this Mavericks squad could be massive. Flagg could be put at small forward with Anthony Davis at his preferred position of power forward and Lively at center. 

But just thinking about that lineup on paper it already feels like a spacing issue for Dallas with Lively clogging the paint, limiting the type of shots Davis, Flagg and Kyrie Irving, when he returns, could get. Ideally, the Mavericks would have a center who could space the floor, someone like, oh, I don't know, Davis. Playing him at the 5 would give everyone, he included, more space to operate without a non-shooting big man clogging the paint. Those are going to be the tough decisions Kidd will have to make, and it may ruffle some feathers, like Davis who has been very vocal about not wanting to play center. 

Then there's the Lively and Gafford of it all. If Davis is the center, where do those guys fit in long term? There's already been chatter about Gafford being a trade target, given he's a free agent next summer and expects a bigger payday. 

The point is, there's a lot to still be decided about this Dallas roster ,including where Flagg fits into the equation.