Cooper Flagg's Shoulder Sprain Lets Mavericks Fans Exhale

Dallas Mavericks fans can officially step back from the ledge. Reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg underwent an MRI that revealed a mild left shoulder sprain, according to HoopsHype's Michael Scotto.

The team announced he will be re-evaluated next week. In modern NBA translation, that means he is definitely missing the weekend, and the medical staff will vaguely update us sometime around Tuesday while he rides a stationary bike.

"HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported the MRI results and the team's timeline for re-evaluation."

Losing your franchise cornerstone is never ideal, but a mild sprain is the absolute best-case scenario when a star heads into the MRI tube. Flagg was forced to exit early, leaving a massive void for a Dallas team that just bounced back with a 121-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on October 23.

The Mavericks are already navigating a battered depth chart. With Caleb Martin and Jett Howard both dealing with their own injuries, the Dallas rotation is starting to look like a summer league invite list.

For anyone holding Mavericks futures or eyeing their daily spreads, this update is a massive sigh of relief. You do not want to see what this offense looks like if Flagg is forced to wear designer street clothes on the bench for a month.

Dallas hosts the San Antonio Spurs on October 25 before heading to play the Miami Heat the next night. Expect the Mavericks to treat Flagg like fragile cargo, meaning the rest of the roster is going to have to actually figure out how to score without him for at least the next few games.