Cooper Flagg will grab distinction long held by his current teammate
If Cooper Flagg is the most productive American-born rookie since his teammate Anthony Davis in 2012, then Flagg's first season must have gone as well as fans hope for. To do that though, Flagg must surpass the debut seasons of Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero, Cade Cunningham, Anthony Edwards, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
That's easier said than done, as all of those guys were impressive in their first years (Banchero, specifically, averaged 20 points per game). But Flagg is likely to produce a more rounded statistical profile than those guys, which will lift him in the debate for best NBA rookie of the 21st century. His passing and defense are incredibly advanced for a rookie, and those traits (plus the occasional scoring outburst) will allow him to be a positive-impact player in year one, which is rare even among future stars.
Davis was one of the guys who immediately contributed to winning in year one. He entered the league as an elite paint protector; as a rookie, he averaged 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game, showing early on that he wasn't good "for a rookie," he was
Flagg's versatility will make him more impactful than other rookies
Cooper Flagg, though in a different role, could have a similar impact on the Mavs; the good for a rookie label will quickly give way to a just good label
Most of the guys on that list were also playing in pretty low-stakes situations; Flagg has the advantage (or disadvantage, depending on who you ask) of playing for a team that believes it can compete for a playoff spot this year, and he's going to be front and center starting on day one.
Thus, Flagg's combination of incredible skills that will allow him to produce immediately, a good, solid NBA roster around him, and the opportunity to be the team's go-to guy, all combine to provide him with a chance to be the best American-born rookie in over a decade. His work is cut out for him in Dallas.
In order to earn the title of best rookie of the 21st century, he'll have to do some pretty historic things that another guy in Texas accomplished a few years back. So let's not hold our breath on that one.
Raiders Could Trade Disappointing Former First-Rounder for 44-Game Starting OL
The Las Vegas Raiders have had some serious woes in the first round of the draft in recent years. Last year,
Prior to that, the Raiders had a run of very disappointing first-round picks. While it’s not fair to call 2023 No. 7 pick
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pitched a trade that would send Wilson to the Chicago Bears for left tackle Braxton Jones.
“Let’s make bets on two frustrating players. Jones entered the season with a potentially massive contract riding on his performance at left tackle for the Bears, but the Ben Johnson regime quickly soured on the player it inherited on Caleb Williams’ blind side,” Barnwell wrote. “Jones split time in practice at left tackle during preseason. Though he was the Week 1 starter, Jones didn’t last long in the lineup. He was pulled in the first half against the Raiders in Week 4 and didn’t play a single offensive snap against the
“Even mediocre young left tackles can be valuable, as Dan Moore Jr.’s free agent contract showed, but Jones’ future is likely elsewhere. The Bears will go with Theo Benedet as their left tackle for now, and second-round pick Ozzy Trapilo is entrenched as Chicago’s swing tackle and the next man up. Tackle depth is always nice to have, but the Bears could use help elsewhere.”
Why Would Raiders Want to Trade Wilson?
As Barnwell noted, Jones isn’t the starter and hasn’t proven to be an impact player. However, he’s simply not very high on Wilson and thinks the opportunity to add a left tackle with 44 career starts could be the wise play.
“Even a below-average left tackle like Jones would be a massive upgrade on what the Raiders are likely to run out over the next couple of months, and they could potentially land a compensatory pick if Jones leaves after the season,” Barnwell wrote. “Adding what might be essentially a short-term tackle could seem odd for a team out of playoff contention in the AFC, but the Raiders just need to be able to reliably run their offense right now.
“Las Vegas would simultaneously move on from another of their former disappointing first-round picks in Wilson, who simply hasn’t developed into a starting-caliber player since being drafted with the seventh pick in 2023.”
Pete Carroll Praises Wilson
The hope when the Raiders drafted Wilson was that he could be a superstar running mate for Maxx Crosby. He’s been a decent player, but he seems like he’ll never be a dependable starter.
That said, head coach Pete Carroll just spoke about how the Raiders still have plans for him.
“We’re planning on him in the middle of the rotations,” Carroll told reporters
