DALLAS — Cooper Flagg’s blocks should go up in his second season, Mavericks coach Dusty May said Monday on the third day of Dallas Mavericks training camp.
May also said rookie Morez Johnson Jr. is close to working his way back from limited practice time. After practice, rookie guard Sergio de Larrea worked with Mavericks lead assistant coach Willie Green on his shooting and finishing.
Dusty May On Morez Johnson Jr.’s Status
Johnson is one of three Mavericks big men who have been limited in camp. The other two are Santi Aldama and Dereck Lively II. May did not specify what has limited Johnson through the first three days, but the rookie is working his way back.
“He’s had a little limited time in practice, but he’s working his way back,” May said. “He’s close.”
Aldama has been limited as he returns from an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee in March. Lively is recovering from December surgery on his right foot.
Dallas took Johnson ninth overall in June after he played for May on Michigan’s 2026 national championship team. The trust between the two is already there, and May expects the rest of the group to build it quickly because of the people in the locker room.
“It’s just one guy that I already know, and I already trust him,” May explained. “I think this group, because they’re such great people, it’s easy for this group to develop trust.”
Dusty May On Cooper Flagg’s Defense
Flagg won Rookie of the Year last season after averaging 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks in 70 games. His 1.20 steals per game ranked second among rookies, according to the NBA. His 0.91 blocks per game ranked fifth.
May would not put a number on how much Flagg’s defensive playmaking will grow in his second season. He pointed instead to Flagg’s anticipation and how quickly he gets off the floor.
“I can’t imagine that doesn’t go up. Once you get to a point, it goes up exponentially,” May said. “… He’s a quick jumper with anticipation skills, so I would anticipate his blocks would be up. So yeah, I can’t give you a number.”
According to May, Flagg has brought great energy to camp and has led by his actions every day. May compared the jump from a player’s first NBA season to his second with the jump from freshman to sophomore year in college.
“We’re pleased with where he is,” May said.
On Sunday, May said Flagg’s transition running and offensive rebounding should create more finishes at the rim this season.
Dusty May On Switching Defenses
Dallas’ switching scheme will depend on its own personnel and on the opponent, May said. His teams have switched one through three in some seasons and two through five in others.
“Probably 15 out of the last 17 years of my career as a coach, we’ve been a switching team. Each year has looked a little bit differently based on our personnel,” May said. “Sometimes you switch one through four, sometimes you switch two through five, sometimes you switch one through [five]. Sometimes you switch one through three. And so it comes down to who are we and who’s the other team.”
“… That’s another thing that I’m learning about the NBA. We have to go throw some different looks. We can’t go out and just throw our fastball and fastball changeup. We need to have a curveball. We probably need to have a slider,” May continued. “And some of that is solved just through different personnel with [what] each guy brings [to] the team.”
May spent six seasons as head coach at Florida Atlantic and two at Michigan before Dallas hired him in June. On Sunday, he said Daniel Gafford needs to get a little better at switching onto smaller players.
Dusty May On P.J. Washington
P.J. Washington averaged 14.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 56 games last season. He signed a four-year extension with Dallas in September 2025. Washington has shot the ball well, according to May, who also pointed to the way Washington carries himself.
“… When he speaks, everyone listens. He’s got a unique way about him,” May said.
May also called Washington’s physicality incredible. On Sunday, he said Washington has been awesome in camp and that his voice is needed.
Dusty May On Coaching NBA Veterans
The Mavericks’ roster includes 34-year-old Kyrie Irving, who returned to camp without restrictions 18 months after tearing the ACL in his left knee. For May, adapting to how each player learns is part of leading, whether the player is young or old.
“It varies a little bit,” May said. “It’s people. Everyone’s different, whether you’re young or old. I’m still trying to adapt to how they learn best, what’s the right things to say at the right time. It’s one of the things you need to be able to do as a leader.”
“… I’m just trying to be authentically who I am. And that’s what got me here. So I don’t know why I would change right now,” May added. “I’m still in the learning and growing process as well.”
On Sunday, May said coaching in the NBA has been very, very similar to college apart from recruiting. He said Monday that he does not miss the recruiting trail.
Sergio de Larrea On His Work With Willie Green
The Los Angeles Lakers selected de Larrea 25th overall in June, and Dallas acquired his rights in a four-team trade on draft night. He signed his rookie contract July 3. According to the Mavericks, de Larrea averaged 9.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 23 games for Valencia Basket last season and shot 42.9% from three. He was named the Liga ACB’s Best Young Player.
Green coached the New Orleans Pelicans from 2021 to 2025 before joining May’s staff. His after-practice work with de Larrea has covered a lot of adjustments to the game, with efficiency the target.
“Just working on a lot of things, some adjustments to the game,” de Larrea said. “We are trying to be more efficient in the shooting and also finishing, so that’s where we are working to.”
De Larrea shot 27.3% from the field and 20% from three in four Summer League games in July. Pull-up shooting is one of the skills he wants to add to his game, particularly in pick-and-roll against big centers.
“Let’s say off the screen, also pick and roll, trying to find the advantage to have also different things to do when I’m playing pick and roll,” de Larrea explained. “And that’s the pull-up, to find the pull-up against big centers.”
Sergio de Larrea On NBA Size And Spacing
FIBA courts measure 28 meters by 15 meters, slightly smaller than the 94-by-50-foot NBA court. De Larrea has found more space in the paint than in Europe, though NBA centers are waiting there to block shots.
“It’s different. The court is bigger but also the bodies are bigger. But let’s say maybe there’s more space in the paint compared to Europe,” de Larrea said. “But here otherwise there’s empty space in the middle. The centers are going to block you the shot and so in that kind of different to Europe, but more or less the spaces are pretty similar in terms of like [shooting] and finishing are very close too, so that’s it.”
De Larrea is adjusting to NBA players pressuring him full court. Reps in the gym are how he is learning each body.
“It’s a challenge that I’m working with all here to adjust to that kind of style of play,” de Larrea said. “And just getting in the gym, getting in the court, having some reps to know each body and how to try to find the spaces without these bodies.”
At Summer League, de Larrea averaged 8.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists in four games. He set a Mavericks Summer League record with 12 assists in his third game, then broke it with 14 in his fourth. He is still working on ball handling against smaller defenders.
“As I say, it’s a process. We are working on all this stuff, playing against small guards, big guards, big centers, small centers, everything, to try to find my game against these kind of players and try to also add more skills to my package,” de Larrea said.
His passing goes back to drills and workouts when he was young. He has tried to raise that level year by year.
“I think since I was young, that’s what people used to teach me, to pass the ball, to shoot the ball,” de Larrea said. “And then we had a lot of drills and workouts when I was young to try to find these [passes], to try to find the best pass possible. And then year by year I tried to increase that level in this skill of the game. And that’s it.”
Sergio de Larrea On Santi Aldama And Tyson Chandler
De Larrea and Aldama both played for Spain at EuroBasket 2025. Dallas acquired Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies on July 8 in a six-team trade, and de Larrea said having him in Dallas has helped with the process.
“It’s amazing I have him here. It’s helping me with the process,” de Larrea said. “As we said, we are friends. We play together in the national team. We know each other, and I think we have also good chemistry. So it’s perfect for me to have him here to learn and to share some experience with him.”
On Monday, de Larrea went through a drill with Mavericks player development coach Tyson Chandler and most of Dallas’ big men. Chandler was the starting center on the Mavericks’ 2011 championship team. He has worked primarily with the team’s bigs since returning to the organization in 2021. De Larrea is trying to fix some plays with that group.
“We’re a team. We have to build chemistry between all the guys, and this is what [we’re] doing, trying to fix some plays and try to have this connection with the bigs,” de Larrea said. “And, yeah, that’s it.”
Sergio de Larrea On Dusty May And Playing Fast
May said Monday that squeezing in a lot of possessions is paramount for Dallas. He also wants the team to be as aggressive and accountable on defense as it is on offense. De Larrea has had a few practices under May so far, and May has been sharing experience and learning with the whole team.
“I think he’s very good. He’s an energy guy. He’s bringing energy all the time,” de Larrea said. “He’s sharing also knowledge of the game. Sharing also with [us] some experience, some learning. It’s great to have him here. He’s trying to teach everything that he has for me and for all the team. I think we are all very grateful for that.”
Valencia won the 2026 Liga ACB title the day after de Larrea was drafted. The pace is a little higher in the NBA, but adapting has been more or less easy for him.
“I think it’s pretty good. I think last year in Europe, in Valencia, [we] were the fastest team in the league. I think this is helping me to adjust here,” de Larrea said. “For sure, the [pace] is a little bit higher, for sure. But it’s been more or less easy, let’s say, to adapt to the game and to try to play as fast as possible and get the fastest shots possible and the best shots possible.”
De Larrea is from Valladolid, Spain, and is still learning Dallas. So far, the heat has stood out.
“It’s pretty good. It’s very good, I have to say. It’s very hot, but it’s very good. A big city, a lot of things to do here,” de Larrea said. “And I’m also wanting to learn more about the city when the weather is going to be [better].”
The Mavericks open the preseason against the Houston Rockets on Oct. 9 at The Venetian Arena in Macao. The teams meet again there Oct. 11.
