A new era begins in Dallas with No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg joining a Mavericks squad looking to make waves in the West. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
Get Caught Up
2024-25 Record: 39-43 (10th in West, lost in Play-In Tournament)
From June 2024 to June 2025, the Dallas Mavericks experienced a franchise-altering year – one that included the team’s first NBA Finals appearance in 13 years in June 2024, a stunning blockbuster trade in February 2025, enduring injuries to multiple key players in March, missing the playoffs after a Play-In elimination in April, defying the odds to win the Draft Lottery in May, and selecting the consensus No. 1 prospect in June.
Fast forward to September 2025 and the Mavs will open training camp with a new franchise cornerstone in Cooper Flagg, a deep frontline headlined by Anthony Davis, a new point guard in D’Angelo Russell – while Kyrie Irving recovers from last season’s torn ACL – and renewed expectations to challenge for the playoffs in the deep Western Conference.
Offseason
- Re-signing: Danté Exum, Daniel Gafford (extension), Kyrie Irving, Dwight Powell (player option exercised), P.J. Washington (extension)
- Additions: D’Angelo Russell (free agent)
- Draft: Cooper Flagg (1st pick)
- Departures: Spencer Dinwiddie (free agent)
- Unsigned Free Agents: N/A
Dallas’ roster shakeup dates back to Feb. 2, when the Mavs traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers for Davis, Max Christie and future draft picks. It continued on June 25, when the Mavs selected Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. In July, Dallas reached contract extensions with both Irving and P.J. Washington, while resigning Danté Exum and signing free agent Russell to help bolster the backcourt while Irving recovers. Davis enters his first full season in Dallas as the centerpiece of the Dončić return, giving Dallas a deep rotation of bigs when paired with Flagg, Washington, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and Dwight Powell.
Cooper Flagg made his long-awaited Mavs debut during NBA 2K26 Summer League action in July.
X-factor
Cooper Flagg. He has been must-see TV before he ever stepped on an NBA court. From his high school highlights to his outstanding showing with the Select Team that scrimmaged Team USA in preparation for the 2024 Olympics, his run to the NCAA Final Four with Duke and his NBA 2K26 Summer League debut in Las Vegas with the Mavs.
After showcasing his all-around game in a pair of Summer League outings, now it’s time to see how Flagg’s game translates to the NBA over a full 82-game campaign. How will it look as he shares the court with the likes of Davis and Klay Thompson? How much can he impact both ends of the court with his 6-foot-8 frame and strong defensive instincts?
> Watch Cooper Flagg on NBA League Pass
One key question
What is this team’s ceiling without Irving?
When the Mavs made the blockbuster deal to acquire Davis last season, the idea was to pair him with Irving to form a dominant guard-forward tandem. However, they played only one game and a total of 25 minutes together before Davis was sidelined with an adductor injury. Before Davis could return to action, Irving was lost for the season with a torn ACL, which will likely cost him much of this season as well.
While that star duo pairing has been delayed, the Mavs taking Flagg in the draft opens a new potential star duo in Dallas with Davis and Flagg forming a formidable forward tandem. The addition of Russell will help fill the void left by Irving, but the Mavs lack backcourt depth, which could come into play if injuries strike again this season.
Fantasy Outlook from RotoWire
The team at RotoWire broke down the top fantasy options for each team in the West. Here’s how they broke down some of the best options from the Mavericks:
“The Mavericks are a curious case, to say the least. They acquired Anthony Davis and boast Kyrie Irving on the roster. Irving, however, will miss the first few months of the season due to an ACL tear but could return in January 2026. But as if that star duo wasn’t enough, the Mavs also added Cooper Flagg, arguably the most dominant prospect in the NCAA since Zion Williamson, with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. That’s a solid haul for a team that finished the 2024-25 season with a 39-43 record.”
Key dates
- Preseason Opener: Oct. 6 vs. Thunder (8:30 ET, League Pass)
- Regular Season Opener: Oct. 22 vs. Spurs (9:30 ET, ESPN)
- NBA Global Games (Mexico City): Nov. 1 vs. Pistons (10 ET, Peacock)
- Emirates NBA Cup West Group B Play: Nov. 7 at Grizzlies (8 ET, League Pass), Nov. 14 vs. Clippers (8:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 21 vs. Pelicans (8:30 ET, League Pass), Nov. 28 at Lakers (10 ET, Prime)
- NBA Christmas Day: Dec. 25 at Warriors (5 ET, ABC & ESPN)
- MLK Day: Jan. 19 at Knicks (5 ET, NBC & Peacock)
- Rivals Week: Jan. 22 vs. Warriors (7:30 ET, Prime), Jan. 24 vs. Lakers (8:30 ET, ABC)
What they’re saying
David Aldridge, The Athletic: “A sizable portion of Dallas’ fan base will chant “Fire Nico!” at home games forever, because some people can’t move on past anything. But hopefully, more will get back on board watching Flagg and his prodigious talents, and how Jason Kidd uses him alongside Davis and Gafford and Lively II. There are also mix and match opportunities with P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall. Russell is a terrific short-term replacement for Irving; DAR should seamlessly morph into Irving’s backup whenever Kyrie returns. Health willing, this could be a really good team.” (Read More)
