Mavericks drop cryptic hint at starting lineup shift every fan was begging for

After the Dallas Mavericks drafted Cooper Flagg, it was clear that their starting lineup was going to change, as Flagg is an absolute lock to join the starting unit, as he is one of the most talented prospects this league has seen in some time. With everyone healthy, Dallas' starting five will include Kyrie Irving, Flag, Anthony Davis, and likely Dereck Lively II, but fans debated about who would be the fifth starter between Klay Thompson and P.J. Washington.

Now, the Mavericks may have just dropped a hint that Thompson will be the fifth starter, not Washington, with one simple graphic.

Last season, when the Mavericks were fully healthy, the starting five was projected to be Irving, Thompson, Washington, Davis, and Lively II, but with Flag joining the mix this time around, it will undoubtedly change what Jason Kidd's starting unit looks like, with Flagg likely taking Washington's place.

Mavericks hint at Klay Thompson being the fifth starter

When the Mavericks released their schedule, they put out a graphic that has five players on it, which could be assumed to be who they believe the starting five will be.

Irving, Thompson, Flagg, Davis, and Lively II grace the navy, blue, and white graphic, and if this is any indication as to who the Mavericks will start once the squad is fully healthy, Mavericks fans should be ecstatic.

While Washington has been incredible ever since he arrived in Dallas at the 2024 NBA trade deadline, as he ultimately helped the Mavericks gain the momentum they needed to reach the 2024 NBA Finals, his fit in a starting five next to Irving, Flagg, Davis, and Lively II would be wonky, to say the least. This starting unit would be one of the biggest in the NBA, with a fierce defense to go along with it, but they wouldn't have the shooting and offensive creation they need to hang with the best teams in the NBA.

Sure, it would be nearly impossible to score on Dallas, especially inside, with this first five, but they would be asking way too much out of Irving and Davis here. With Irving being the only true shooter in this unit, teams would sell out on taking the three away from him, and he and Davis would be forced to be responsible for most of the offensive creation.

Davis has proven he is capable of being a No. 1 option in the past, as his most recent game as a Maverick was a dominant 40-point outing against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament, but they must have shooters around him for him to be at his best. As a Maverick, Davis shot 23.3 percent from three on 3.3 attempts per game, and his numbers over the past five seasons aren't much better either.

Since the 2020-21 season, Davis has shot 25.7 percent from three over 259 games, and barring something changes, he can't be penciled in as a consistent floor spacer in Dallas just yet. Considering he will be playing next to Lively II down low, another non floor spacer, they are going to need as much shooting around their double-big lineups as possible, and that's where Thompson comes into play.

Thompson is one of the greatest shooters to ever pick up a basketball, and last season, he proved that he can still be a flamethrower from downtown when he's given the opportunity. He averaged 14.0 points per game while shooting 39.1 percent from downtown, and when he gets hot, he is impossible to stop.

Thompson isn't afraid to let it fly from anywhere on the court, and getting to see him be a main piece of the starting five down the final stretch of the season next to Irving, Flagg, Davis, and Lively II is something that most fans expected at this point. They are going to need his floor spacing badly, and his off-ball gravity alone is going to make it easier for Davis, Flagg, and Irving to get to the rim.

Thompson's man can never leave him on defense, as his quick release makes him a threat at all times, and it makes the most sense for him to start over Washington once everyone is healthy. Even to begin the year, it seems most likely that Thompson will start alongside the aforementioned unit with D'Angelo Russell running the show instead of Irving, and then Irving will take Russell's spot once he is fully recovered from his ACL tear.

This isn't to say that the Mavs will never start Washington, as Nico Harrison seems confident that he and Flagg can share the court when needed, but the most logical decision would be to start Thompson instead, and Dallas hinted at just that.

Dallas' social media post with Irving, Thompson, Flagg, Davis, and Lively II should be taken with a grain of salt, as anything can change at any time, but this seems like a good indicator of what the starting five may look like next season. Washington potentially being sent to the bench shouldn't be thought of as a bad thing, as he is poised to be one of the best bench players in the NBA, and he'll be able to inject tons of energy and hustle into that second unit while Thompson will force the defense to stay honest thanks to his silky-smooth 3-point jumper that the Mavs will despreately need.