What happened: Dusty May opens his tenure with Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving as the central duo. The group is preparing together for the 2026-27 season.

Why it matters: A first-year coach aligning a young cornerstone with a veteran guard defines roles and leadership hierarchy. Early camp reps will determine rotation order and late-game responsibility before the schedule opens.

What to watch: Watch for camp lineups and preseason minutes showing how the Flagg-Irving pairing is deployed.