RSS Mavericks Team Notes

[Dallas Mavericks]

Roundtable: Predicting the record of the Dallas Mavericks

Today’s question was easy: Predict the record of the Dallas Mavericks and their seed in the Western Conference

Bryan: The 2025 Dallas Mavericks are the 8th or 9th seediest, 40-game winningest team I have ever seen in my natural born life. The dearth of pick-and-roll creators (or general playmaking for that matter) on this team overrun with front-court play finishers cannot be solved by turning Anthony Davis into a DHO coat rack in my opinion . However, Jason Kidd and the Mavericks coaching staff are excited to try, and that should be entertaining either way. That step up from the slog that was last year plus some Cooper Flagg pixie dust should keep this season interesting enough to watch , barring another year of horrid injury “luck.”

Kirk: Still buzzing off of throttling a Thunder team featuring no one has me wanting to make a ridiculous prediction. However, I’ll stick with where I’ve been: 42-40. I think the Mavericks have a high ceiling and low floor given their lack of shot-making and play-making. BUT I’ll be bullish for once and say they’re the seventh seed.

Ben Z.: I’m going to be pessimistic and say 35 wins. Too much is depending on the health of a few key players, and they’re either already injured or injury prone. Kyrie Irving will likely return with 20-25 games left in the season, and will need time to get back to his old self, if that’s even possible. Anthony Davis is coming off a surgery in the summer that’s left him in less than ideal shape, and he’ll definitely have some injury issues all year. Cooper Flagg will be enduring a full pro season for the first time in what should be his freshman year of college.

Add in the odd fit of this lineup, and what will certainly be a learning curve with so many new players, it’s hard to see it being a great season. Maybe everything goes the Mavs’ way and they sneak into the play-in tournament at best.

Tyler:The Dallas Mavericks record will not match the amount of talent on this roster. Because of the talent all being forwards and players who are best used as forwards but are forced to play guard, the best players won’t always be on the floor together. Klay Thompson can’t function as the only spacing in their starting group, which will struggle to score. They lack enough creation, especially at guard with Kyrie out for at least a few months. That doesn’t even include other injury prone players on the roster missing time, of which there are plenty.

All told, these Mavericks are lottery bound once again, which is probably the best thing for their development around Cooper Flagg. They will go 36-46 and be the 11 seed in the Western Conference.

Sudarshan: 41-41. Play-In team at best. It might seem like fence-sitting to predict a .500 record, but that’s this team’s ceiling with Kyrie out for most of the season.

Adding DLo as a stopgap might provide a temporary solution against the league’s bottom feeders, but the lack of ball-handling or self-creation from 90% of the roster is a significant obstacle for this team to overcome – No matter how many DHOs this new Jay Triano offense creates. The best thing that the coaching staff can do this season is to put the ball in Cooper Flagg’s hands as much as possible and let him go through the growing pains of becoming an offensive hub that they can & should build around.

That doesn’t even take into account the increasingly injury-prone roster led by the Lord of the Injured Reserve, Anthony Davis. The fact that they haven’t even announced a new Training/Medical staff after firing Nico’s incompetent previous hires means that this team is going to break & often. Sad, but true.

Chris: This is hard. I’ll say 46-36 and the 8th seed. A better predictor of their record will be the number of games Anthony Davis and Kyrie play (especially together). We know it won’t be any time in 2025. Not to mention if the Kyrie we get will be the Kyrie we’re used to, once he comes back.

If Dallas was in the east, there’s a path to 50 wins. But in the BRUTAL west, it’s hard to imagine a team that gets far above .500. Dallas simply doesn’t have enough creation and ball handling to compete with the league’s elite right now. Until that is addressed (likely in the form of Kyrie’s return), Dallas will be middle of the pack.

Cooper Flagg will be great. Dallas will have some good wins and big moments, but until number 11 returns, there’s too many question marks. OKC is tier one. Minnesota, Houston, and Denver are tier two. LA Lakers, LA Clippers, and Golden State are tier three. Dallas and San Antonio probably follow them. There will be more to cheer about this season than last (bar is on the floor), but I don’t expect a 2023-2024 run. The Mavs have good talent, but they have a lot more questions than answers coming into this season.

Michael: I have a clear recollection of answering this question last year. Fresh off the Finals, ready to take the next step… then the season happened. If the delta with which I was incorrect last time is an indication of outcome, I should place the win total low to ensure we win 60. But alas, we know it doesn’t work that way. Instead, I’ll just answer the question with an optimistic 50-32.
I promise I’m not attempting to solicit ire or make you dear readers, protest! Last year’s squad eeked out 39 wins despite arguably the most controversial trade ever, the worst injury run maybe in team history, and no safe haven at home where the fan base was in perpetual protest. I believe they can win 11 more games than they did in the hot mess that was last season.

In the regular season, teams have much less time to prepare for each other, and I think that will work to the Mavs’ benefit despite roster imbalance. I also suspect their defense will terrorize the opposition more times than not, and will offset those nights where the offense struggles. And in my final offense, I think D’Angelo Russell surprises a lot of people. There is my optimistic (irrational?) take. Man, I hope I’m correct. Let the games begin!

Brent: 38-44. In what should and may likely be Nico Harrison’s morsel of time as a front facing sports executive in any franchise, any league, any timeline. The Mavs will scuffle. Cooper Flagg will show promise in his rookie season but also but asked to do too much leading to indirect sabotage of his Rookie of the Year prospects.

I expect less than 60 games out of Davis and a token March return from Irving after all the drama is drained from the season.

Mavs fans have taken point of attack offense advantage creation as given and now the backcourt talent is so thin they will attempt to turn their front court talent into assist hubs. How many contenders try to win this way outside of Denver?

It will be frustrating and the saving grave will be the departure of Harrison and perhaps Kidd as well. If this is anywhere close to 38 wins as I am projecting the chant police in the AAC will be busy this year.

Matt M.: I’ll go 42-40 for the Mavericks’ season record, putting them in the play-in tournament with either the ninth or 10th seed in the West. Cooper Flagg will win the Rookie of the Year Award, but too much time without sound play at the point and a muddled rotation playing a new offensive scheme will leave fans with more questions than answers. There are pieces here that could add up to more than 42 wins — I just don’t trust this thing to get it done in a cohesive way. I find myself thinking “next year could be better for this team” when this year hasn’t even begun. Yikes.

Joe: My prediction is for the Mavericks to finish as the 8th-best team in the West. When you look at the Mavericks as a whole, compared to the rest of the Western Conference, it is hard to justify them being higher than a seven seed. Between the lack of self-creation and play-making on offense, the thought of implementing a new offense for a new roster and a new franchise player, and the injury history of many of the players on this roster, I cannot imagine this team reaching 50 wins. I do believe in the size and defense. Still, after Luka Doncic carried Jason Kidd’s, frankly, bland coaching style into playoff success for seven years, and now we enter a year injury-riddled with D’Angelo Russell as the only real option at the lead guard role, that is discouraging for me. I will go with 40-42 as the 8 seed. Injuries and coaching will be a major factor this season.

Andrew: I’m not sure if it’s optimistic of me but I have the Mavericks going somewhere around 45-37 which could have them between the 7-9 seed. If health and injury luck go the Mavs way then the defensive consistency through the depth chart shouldn’t give up too many games against bad teams and should be able to keep them up with contending teams. Great defense leads to easy offense and I feel like that’s going to be the point of emphasis for this team, get the stop, get the board and GO that leads to more fast breaks for quick buckets to keep their momentum and confidence up even if the half court offense finds itself getting stagnant at times. The offense is going to move around AD and with DLo presumably being the starting point guard their chemistry together should gel nicely and it looks like Davis is already building one with Cooper Flagg, who has so far only shown us that he thrives in the moment, has a natural feel for the game, and the grit and work ethic to improve any part of his, the same could be said for players like PJ Washington, and Naji Marshall who constantly play with a chip on their shoulder. Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford both bring a consistent level of play that should ideally be available at any given moment and you can’t forget about the guys lower on the option list either, Max Christie showed us the potential he can bring and even though he slowed it down quite a bit, he still improves as his role increases season to season, Hardy, Williams, Exum, DSJ, and I’m assuming Ryan Nembhard are always eager to get out on the court anytime they can and won’t shy from the moment. Klay seems to be as ready and as confident as ever, with his leadership and guidance along with Kyries on the sidelines until his return they’ll stay in a championship mentality.

David: 55-27. I have been back and forth about this and I think where I have settled is the Mavericks are just going to be healthy and good the Nico Harrison haters (me). Anthony Davis going to play 70+ games, D’Angelo Russell will be 2019 DLo, Cooper Flagg will contribute where he can, and they will get a much better season from Klay Thompson. They have enough talent to win a lot of games against the many very bad teams that exist currently. Full disclosure, this prediction is just fading my brain. My brain tells me that this team will be bad with bad offense and hurt too much to have consistency. And because that’s what my brain is telling me, I am rolling with my heart of hearts and predicting them to actually dominate the NBA.

Isaac: 53-29, floating between the 2-4 seed. This team just has everything to be successful in the modern NBA. It has the size to compete with teams like Houston and the wings to defend the depth of OKC. Flagg, Davis, and Lively will anchor a defense that makes it hard for any team to score in the paint and PJ, Naji, Flagg, and Klay will wreak havoc defensively on the perimeter, even if Klay has lost a step in his later years.

This team, with or without Kyrie, is a legitimate threat in the West. Add a 75-80% Kyrie in late February and the sky truly is the limit for this team.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...predicting-the-record-of-the-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

D’Angelo Russell has a lot to prove

It probably wouldn’t come as a surprise if I told you a lot has changed since the beginning of the year for the Dallas Mavericks. As Mavericks fans were still in the early stages of licking their wounds from the Luka Dončić trade, the basketball gods decided it would be a good time to throw salt in those wounds just 30 days later. On a seemingly uneventful Monday night in March, Kyrie Irving went down with an ACL tear in his left leg, all but ending the tumultuous 2024-2025 season for Dallas.

Irving is progressing, but his timetable is still uncertain, and he likely won’t see the court until 2026. So where does that leave the Mavs at the point guard position? The front office didn’t have to look far to recruit and sign former All-Star and former Anthony Davis teammate D’Angelo Russell, who signed a two-year $13 million deal with the Mavs.

The Big Question​

Russell has been somewhat of a journeyman, but that has never come with a lack of production. He’s entering his 11th year on two stints with the Lakers and Nets, and one each with the Timberwolves and Warriors. He has career averages of 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game. Additionally, he’s 43% from the floor, 37% from three, and 80% from the line. While these numbers may not pop off the page, Dallas needs offense from their backcourt, desperately.
Fans tend to be on one side of the fence or the other on D’Angelo Russell. While many love his ability to create, facilitate, and drop 20 on any given night, others would say he’s inconsistent, immature, and an OK at best backup point guard.

But if you asked him? He gave his answer to Nick Angstadt and Isaac Harris of the Locked on Mavs podcast during media day.

“I think a guy you know like me, plugging into a system like this…not every team has a coach that’s played, has the credibility with the team that’s already here, not including me…and you plug me into that…I’ve had limited structure in my career. To get to an organization that has, as you can see, has full-on structure, from the youth, coaches, veterans…to plug me into something like that, I like my odds.”

Well, he’s not wrong. Russell was drafted into an awkward Lakers rebuild, as part of the post-Kobe era. He then went to the Nets pre-Harden/Kyrie/Durant before he headed west and had his one All-Star season with the Warriors in 2019-2020, in a lost year with a plethora of injuries. He packed and headed north to Minnesota as they tried to build around new prospects Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. He then joined the Lakers in 2023 as the point guard for Lebron James and Anthony Davis. He had a short tenure (again) with Brooklyn last season before entering free agency.

Throughout his career, “DLo” as they call him, has entered a wide variety of circumstances with no real consistency. He enters this season with an established team and coach, and a good mix of youth and experienced players.

Best Case Scenario​

With no Kyrie until 2026, Russell will likely be given some freedom to operate as he wants, especially with his good relationship with Anthony Davis. Outside of plugging the point guard hole, another key goal for Dallas this upcoming season will be getting AD comfortable. Russell can help with that. Although time together was short on the Lakers, it’s clear there’s good rapport with Russell and Davis and Dallas will lean on that.

This success of Russell’s first season in blue will revolve around how well he adapts to Dallas’s unique situation of being frontcourt heavy. The Mavs will be reliant on his playmaking and shot creation to stay afloat during Kyrie’s absence. Spacing will be the sink or swim tale for Dallas in the 2025-2026 season. Russell needs space to operate, and the paint can’t be too packed. This would favor opportunities for pick-and-pop action with AD (or even Lively II if Kidd decides to get creative). Russell is a great pick-and-roll option for the bigs. He and AD thrived in LA on P&R. One of his go-to shots is a simple pull-up jumper from either elbow, which he can hit in his sleep. He also favors athletic wing-runners that can catch lobs or go backdoor for easy buckets (I’m looking at you Cooper Flagg). In other words, Russell’s versatile offensively and he’ll give Dallas options.

Season Goal​

D’Angelo is a good pickup for the Mavs, and a bargain at worst. He was one of the best free agent options for Dallas this past summer and he can plug the point guard spot with no Kyrie. As he figures out Dallas’s system and new personnel, including one of the best prospects coming out of college in the last 25 years, he’ll settle in. Russell has been in many systems, with many superstars, and has found ways to contribute and be productive. The main difference this time is he’ll be the driver with the keys to the offense (for at least awhile). If he can keep the car on the road and from crashing, Dallas should be able to survive (and even thrive) until Kyrie returns.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...iews/50614/dangelo-russell-has-a-lot-to-prove

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Luka Dončić on Kyrie Irving’s handles: ‘The things he do — you can’t’

Kyrie Irving is an artist with a basketball in his hands. There is no doubt about it.

He’s that rare kind of ball-handler that leaves even the rest of the top-.5% of elite maestros of the craft baffled.

Because, let’s face it, Luka Dončić is also a basketball magician of the highest order, leaving puzzled defenders in his wake if not in his dust, with a level of trickery and sleight of hand second to none.

Well, almost none.

Dončić went on the “First We Feast” YouTube channel for a Hot Ones interview, which was released on Thursday, and after his fourth chicken wing taste test, was asked by host Sean Evans about Irving’s handles, “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen Kyrie Irving do with a basketball?”

“When you think you’ve stopped him, he always finds a way to get to the basket,” Dončić said. “The ball-handling — you can’t learn that. He tried to teach me a little bit, but you can’t do it. The things he do — you can’t.”

And that’s coming from a man who wields the power to do pretty much whatever he wants with a basketball — a man who turns every bit of defensive leverage you think you’ve gained against him to his own advantage.

There are compliments — and then there’s Irving’s ability to leave one of less than 10 people on the planet able to manufacture two points from every nook and cranny on the floor in a state of amazement.

That’s what Kyrie Irving does.

“Hot Ones” is the series that bills itself as “the show with hot questions and even hotter wings,” where celebrities and chefs face a battery of interview softballs while chowing down on 10 wings basted in sauces that are progressively hotter and hotter on the Scoville scale. Dončić first needed the aid of the glass of milk in front of him when he tried the seventh of the 10 wings, this one glazed in something called Hawaiian Hot T’s POG sauce, which measures in at 110,000 on the Scoville scale.

In a feature for ESPN.com, Boston Celtics radio play-by-play announcer Sean Grande compared Irving’s quick-twitch decision-making with the ball in his hands to a street-side shell game card trick.

“The only thing I can compare it to is that shell game that they run on the JumboTron,” Grande told ESPN. “At first it’s going really slow — and then it just starts going super fast, and you just have to make a decision.”

Irving has in the last five years or so gained a reputation as one of the best ball-handlers of all time. The question, “Is he the greatest?” gets asked almost monthly in every corner of the internet content machine, and more often during basketball season.

It’s just too damn bad that those handles wont be on exhibit for most of 2025-26.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...rie-irvings-handles-the-things-he-do-you-cant

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

‘The Trade’ turns Luka Doncic deal into comic tragedy

There is a sports tragedy worth laughing about in Dallas. No, it isn’t the Cowboys finishing a game in a 40-40 tie. It is “The Trade: a Tragedy in Four Quarters”, a new play written by two local playwrights and Mavericks fans, Matt Lyle and Matt Coleman, playing at Theatre Three in Dallas from October 9 – November 2. While the wounds of the Luka Doncic trade may still feel fresh for MFFLs everywhere, the writers hope it can prove comedically cathartic.

The log line reads as follows:

In this fast-paced, highly unauthorized, foam middle-fingered satire, the Dallas Mavericks are on the brink of greatness—so naturally, Nico slams the self-destruct button. With a Greek chorus narrating the tragic downfall, a Kiss Cam, “Luka Doncic,” “Mark Cuban,” and a cameo from “Anthony Davis’s Hernia,” THE TRADE skewers the madness behind the moves, the myth that millionaires and billionaires must know what they’re doing, and the heartbreak of loving something that doesn’t love you back.
In Dallas, tragedy wears Nikes.

I recently sat down with the writing duo to learn more about their process, the play, and their fandom for a team that’s hurt so many, including themselves. It wasn’t long after Harrison blew up the hearts of Mavericks fans everywhere that Lyle (who briefly wrote for Mavs Moneyball) and Coleman put that emotion into this new work.

“Matt (Lyle) started reading Aeschylus and I read Tim MacMahon’s book [The Wonder Boy: Luka Dončić and the Curse of Greatness]”, Coleman quipped. For many it was, and still is, easy to feel the powerlessness of fandom, succumbing to the whims of the Mavericks gods. But channeling that disillusionment and turning it into humor, even being willing to laugh at ourselves as fans, is how Lyle and Coleman can take that power back.

“This is a fun, silly play. But with what happened it did make you step back and think about how much of your emotions and feelings you put into something like fandom, and how easily swayed and twisted you are. The week of [the trade] my wife was like, ‘do you need to see somebody’,” Coleman jokingly relayed that he mopingly replied, “No, me and Matt are going to write a play about it.”

The play is a whacky and wild journey from early 2025 to today, packed full of surprises with all the power players involved in the story. It’s structured as a Greek tragedy but has the feeling of a sketch comedy show. Expect things like audience interaction, unpredictable moments – like a musical number in the infamous Ascension Coffee – a intermission with a shooting contest, and more. All in a crisp 90 minutes with premier local talents.

“You’re in for a good time right from the start,” Lyle celebrated. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, and we’ve got the funniest people I know,” with Broadway-level local talent involved.

It is not uncommon for shows to develop over years, but for this duo the process happened rapidly. Any why is that?

“Well, things just keep happening,” Lyle laughed, lamenting how the organization continues to trip over itself since February. Their writing process happened so rapidly that they had to reshape the ending of the show after the Mavericks leapt to the front of the line in the NBA Draft Lottery and had the chance to draft Cooper Flagg. It’s nearly a turn that couldn’t be believable when written. But that has been the experience for Mavericks fans everywhere.

“I think the experience of seeing this, there is some catharsis,” Coleman reflected. “To gather with a large crowd of people and, well, all laugh at Nico Harrison. But also realize, we’re kind of laughing at ourselves too.”

When asked about their fandom now, and how this show may have changed their feelings toward the team, both Coleman and Lyle felt unsure. But as the team enters a possible new era with Cooper Flagg at the forefront, do they have any advice for the budding new star?

“Don’t let them take your beer,” Coleman laughed.

The Trade shows at Theatre Three through November 2. Tickets can be purchased through www.theatre3dallas.com.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...-doncic-deal-into-comic-tragedy-nico-harrison

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Three things that will interest you in the Mavericks preseason tilt against Charlotte

After a quick trip to Cowtown, the Dallas Mavericks are returning to the confines of the American Airlines Center for a preseason tilt against the Charlotte Hornets. The Mavericks are coming off a win against the OKC Thunder on Monday, while the Hornets were in OKC on Thursday night, losing by six. Preseason scores are next to meaningless, but it is going to be interesting to watch Dallas run their stuff against another group.

With that in mind, here are a few things to watch before this preseason contest.

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Establishing the run​

The Mavericks were able to score over 100 points against Oklahoma City in their first contest, albeit with very poor shooting and the benefit of 16 Thunder turnovers. Their usual rebounding advantage against OKC did carry over into the preseason, as the Mavericks were +15 on the glass. Against a Hornets team that is willing to run with you, what will the Mavericks look to do in this one offensively? I’m interested to see how Anthony Davis looks in some of the “flow” offensive actions that the Mavericks will get into. Can this team shoot the ball at a respectable clip, or will this offense be too dependent on transition buckets and pushing pace? Not like we’ll get concrete answers here, but it’s another data point.

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Cooper Flagg corner​

Generally, we know what we’re getting from a lot of guys on this roster. Cooper Flagg is the unknown here as the rookie sensation, and for that reason I will be watching him with more interest than anyone else here. What situations do they try and put him in, what does the creation look like for him, and what does the shot look like? These are all things I want to see time and time again this season. Plus, Saturday marks the first time he will square off against his former Duke teammate, Kon Kneuppel!

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The LaMelo Ball conundrum​

Depending on who you trust in the basketball sourcing industry, this season seems like a last stand of sorts for the LaMelo Ball experience in Charlotte. Can he tighten up certain aspects of his game to limit turnovers and increase his efficiency? Against a Mavericks defense that will have an abundance of size on the interior, how is he going to handle some of the smaller guards on the perimeter? Just as a basketball fan, these are things that will interest me over the course of the game.

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How to watch​

Tipoff time is set for 7:30p at the AAC. The game will be available on KFAA Channel 29, streaming on Mavs TV and on NBA League Pass for those out of market. I suppose if your favorite team loses the Red River Shootout on Saturday, this could boost you right back up?

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ba-preseason-preview-cooper-flagg-lamelo-ball

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Hornets Preview and Injury Update: Saturday night preseason fever

The Dallas Mavericks finally play basketball again, even if it doesn’t quite count. Tonight, they host the Oklahoma City Thunder, but do so in Fort Worth at the Dickies Arena (pretty sure it’s the first time an NBA game has been played in this location). Dallas is playing their first preseason contest out of four, while the Thunder are, for some reason, playing night two of a literal back-to-back. Despite sitting most of their best players, they walloped the Charlotte Hornets, 135-114.

• WHO: Dallas Mavericks vs Charlotte Hornets
• WHAT: The second preseason game of the year!
• WHERE: American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas
• WHEN: 7:30 p.m. CST
• HOW: MavsTV, Channel 29 (local fans), NBA League Pass, also Playback with Kirk

Join us on Playback!​

Make sure to check out the Mavs Moneyball Playback stream to watch games with us! To sign up:

• Head over to playback.tv and create an account with your email address
• Connect and select your NBA League Pass login as your streaming account (sign up for League Pass here first if you don’t have it)
• Go to https://www.playback.tv/mavsmoneyball and hit the JOIN button
• Make sure to activate push notifications so you know when we’re going live

As of this writing, the injury report stuff is murky. Brandon Williams is day-t0-day, no idea about Dennis Smith Jr. and Dante Exum. But all in all, the Mavericks are pretty healthy for the Mavericks. The Hornets will be without former Mavericks Josh Green and Grant Williams.

Cooper Flagg facing off against his college teammate should be fun. I’m also interested in seeing how Dallas defends a team that took a ton of threes last year. But the short story is I expect the Dallas starters, if they all play, to put this one away just like they did the Thunder.

As you can tell below, you can join me and some other Mavs Moneyball guys in a room on Playback (embed below) during the game (though I may not be able to start it until halftime). Also consider joining Josh and I on Pod Maverick live after the game on YouTube, we should start around 10:15 pm. Thanks so much for spending time with us here at Mavs Moneyball. Let’s go Mavs!

new Playback.Embed("playback-embed", { room: "mavsmoneyball", style: { height: "100%", width: "100%" }, });

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...ts-preview-and-injury-update-preseason-begins

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Stats Rundown: 4 numbers to know from the Mavericks’ 120-116 preseason loss to the Charlotte Hornets

That trademark Dallas Mavericks defense allowed 90 points in the three quarters the regulars played against the Charlotte Hornets at American Airlines Center on Saturday, and the Hornets went on to take the 120-116 win in the Mavs’ second of four preseason games. The result doesn’t matter, but there will still be takeaways.

The Mavericks starters got to stretch their legs for three quarters instead of two in their second preseason game, and the results were largely mixed. There were encouraging signs, and then there was Anthony Davis, who is still working his way back into game shape, apparently. Davis walked or trotted back on defense several times and at one point in the third quarter, jogged over to defend a Brandon Miller corner 3-pointer and somehow still fouled him for a four-point play. These things happen in preseason play. It’s not the end of the world, but it’s worth keeping an eye on at this point.

Here are four stats that stood out in the Mavs’ preseason loss to a pesky bunch of Charlotte Hornets.

28-8: Charlotte’s big first quarter run​

This team’s identity is on the defensive end, right? It would be nice if they tried to defend the 3-point line from time to time. The Charlotte Hornets shelled the Mavericks from 3-point range to start the game. After Dallas looked spry behind Cooper Flagg’s hustle to start the game with a 5-2 lead, the Hornets rattled off 28 of the game’s next 36 points over a span of 5:19, taking a 30-13 lead on back-to-back pull-up jumpers from Miles Bridges and Brandon Miller midway through the first.

The Hornets hit six 3-balls as part of the five-plus-minute run. Bridges hit three, LaMelo Ball added another pair and Collin Sexton connected on his first attempt from deep in the game. Dallas responded with a 16-0 run of their own. Bridges led all scorers with 13 points in the first quarter, including a vicious alley-oop finish on a slick lob from Ball and through the half-hearted slapping defense of Klay Thompson five minutes into the proceedings.

It’s the preseason. These things happen. But the Mavs were playing the (checks notes) Charlotte Hornets and gave up 34 first-quarter points — all while Derek Harper droned on and on about the team’s “smothering brand of defense.” Lord have mercy.

3: Cooper Flagg first-quarter steals​

It sure hasn’t taken Cooper Flagg long to show us all the different ways he can affect the game. On his way to just two points in the first quarter on Saturday, Flagg contributed to the Mavs’ 16-0 run with two of his three first-quarter steals during the run. His second steal of the quarter led to a Dwight Powell run-out layup to make it 30-20 with 3:32 left in the first. His third eventually led to a reverse layup inside for Dereck Lively II to inch Dallas to within 30-29.

Then in the second quarter, the floodgates opened for Flagg on offense. He scored seven points in the first 1:53 of the second quarter on a beautifully smooth pull-up 3-pointer near the top of the key, an even prettier alley-oop finish from D’Angelo Russell, and a behind-the-back dribble creating space for an undefendable jumper to pull the Mavs in front, 40-36.

It's the Cooper Flagg show in Dallas

3 straight buckets for the 2025 No. 1 pick! pic.twitter.com/mM71czg5eY

— NBA (@NBA) October 12, 2025

Flagg stuffed the stat sheet in his 13 first-half minutes, leading the Mavs with 11 points (along with Thompson) on 4-of-7 shooting at the break and dishing four assists to go along with his three steals.

3-of-3: Klay Thompson first-half 3-point shooting​

Seeing Thompson hit his first three 3-point attempts is always an encouraging sign. He’s another year older, but his greatest strength, his shooting touch, is a skill that lasts. It’s always a beautiful sight to see him raise up in rhythm. Sometimes you just know it’s going in before it even leaves his right hand, and his three makes in the first half were perfect examples of that.

The Mavs are going to desperately need Thompson’s outside shooting this year, as much as they appear to depend on bigger lineups. He led the Mavs in scoring, along with Flagg, with 11 points in the first half as the Hornets took a 61-59 lead into the break.

Thompson missed his fourth 3-point attempt, his first of the second half, with the Mavs trailing 71-63 three minutes into the third quarter. Then he canned his next attempt less than two minutes later to kill a 13-0 Hornets run. Thompson did his part in his 21 minutes on the floor, finishing with 14 points on 4-of-7 shooting from 3-point land in the loss.

6/4: Dereck Lively II’s third-quarter stat line​

Lively had a big third quarter for the Mavs, scoring six of his 10 points and grabbing four of his six rebounds in the frame. He took the ball away from Sexton midway through the third and strolled down the floor with a smooth little Eurostep move to finish the breakaway and bring the Mavs to within 83-74.

The only thing I think will hold Lively back from the “breakout year” several teammates have predicted for him in his third NBA season will be the logjam of depth the Mavs have at the four and the five on the roster. He made the case for his claim that he grew a couple of inches this offseason by blocking an actual hook shot attempt from Miles Plumlee late in the second quarter.

Lively finished the night with 10 points, six boards, two blocked shots and two steals in 22 minutes against Charlotte. He made five of his six shot attempts.

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Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...0-116-preseason-loss-to-the-charlotte-hornets

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Three things to think about as the Mavericks play a preseason game in Utah

The Mavericks will play their first true road game of the 2025-26 season on Monday. Although it is preseason, it is still a trip they have to make and play basketball on. That means this is the Mavericks’ first opportunity to demonstrate how they perform after a flight. Listen, preseason basketball will test the limits of what you can take away from a game. However, if you decide to tune in to the Mavericks rather than Monday Night Football, here are three things you can expect to see.

A much better Anthony Davis​

Assuming the starters will continue playing significant minutes in the preseason, Davis should be much better than he was on Saturday night. The Jazz are a very large team and, while they took nearly 40 threes a game last season, do not share the perimeter bombers that the Hornets have. Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, and Jordan Clarkson took about 22 of the 40 threes for the Jazz in 2024-25. George is inefficient, Markkanen is not super fast, and Clarkson is now a Knick. The game should be much more paint-oriented than Saturday’s contest, which favors Davis in a big way.

A collection of immovable objects​

Utah has five (!) players listed at seven feet. The Mavericks have Davis, Dereck Lively, Moussa Cisse, Daniel Gafford (who is out), and Dwight Powell all listed at 6’10” or taller. Some nights in the NBA, it appears that you or I could go out there and fit in with some of the smaller lineups teams throw out. When Ryan Nembhard is on the floor, basketball is relatable. Unfortunately, Monday is not one of those nights. The teams are going to look big, because they are.

An Ace up the Jazz’s sleeve​

My pick for rookie of the year this season is Ace Bailey. I hope Cooper Flagg proves me wrong, but Bailey looked fantastic in his first NBA action against Houston and San Antonio. This will be Dallas’ first look at him, and a good test for Bailey as well. He is uber-talented and greatly under the radar because of weird agent stuff that led to him falling out of the top four picks, as well as the fact that he plays in Utah. Either way, his highlights do not lie. When he is on, he is special. It will be fun to see how Jazz head coach Will Hardy can mold him this year, but first, we get a glimpse at how well he does against Dallas’ size on Monday.

How to watch​

The game will tip at 8 PM Central Time and will be available on Channel 29 (KFAA) locally in Dallas as well as on MavsTV. For those out of market, the game will be on NBA League Pass.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...nba-preseason-preview-cooper-flagg-ace-bailey

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

The Mavericks need the promise of Dereck Lively II to become reality in 2025-26

It’s all about health for Dereck Lively II heading into his third NBA season.

Lively’s health was the reason he stagnated in Year Two instead of taking the big leap forward many predicted before the 2024-25 campaign. First it was the mysterious “illness” that forced him to miss games starting in late November 2024. A week later, in early December, there was a knee issue. Later that month, it was a hip. Then, the ankle injury in January and a procedure to remove bone spurs from his right foot in the offseason.

Is that big leap coming this season? Only if Lively can stay on the court for more than 36 games.

For all the promise he shows when healthy, entering Year Three, Lively is very much what his stat line shows him to be. So far, through 91 career NBA games, he’s an eight-and-eight guy who puts flashes of brilliance in finishing and rim protecting on film from time to time.

The Dallas Mavericks need more than that out of Lively this season if they are going to defy the skeptics and contend in a Western Conference that is absolutely loaded at the top and through the middle of the ranks.

DLIIIIIIIIIIVE! pic.twitter.com/NcHKZJtQAb

— MavsHighlights (@MavsHighlights) October 7, 2025

Big question​

He is, by all accounts, this team’s starting center. The big question for Lively becomes a simple proposition. Can he stay healthy enough to help this team take a step forward from the middling muddle of play-in also-ran teams and into a position of prominence in the West?

It’s easy to see 12 points, 10 rebounds and a couple of blocks of game in this kid’s future. After all, the upcoming season will be just his Age 21 year. He doesn’t turn 22 until February. As he continues to develop, it’s easy to project him into a 15-and-11 type of guy — one a winning franchise can depend on for production on both ends of the floor and one the suddenly defensive-minded Mavericks can use as a Gandalf-level stopper in the lane. You shall not pass, you pesky drive-and-dish merchants.

But if injuries once again stymie Lively’s development for a third year and render those projections meaningless, he risks being pinned with the label of just another promising athletic youngster who can’t put it all together on a night-in, night-out basis.

Sure, there’s an insurance policy in place in Dallas. His name is Daniel Gafford, and you know what you’re getting in Gafford. He’s better than okay, but he’s not great. He is one version of Lively’s future if Lively doesn’t take the next step in his development. If history repeats itself, the Mavs’ frontcourt becomes a unit spinning its wheels to help keep the team’s head above water, instead of the fully operational Death Star hopeful fans know it has the potential to become.

Best-case scenario​

Lively could make up for his lost second season right off the bat, cement Dallas’ hierarchy in the post and leave no question as to the trajectory of his career. The best-case scenario is Lively playing 30 minutes or more per game instead of the 24-24 split we saw with Gafford in each of Lively’s first two seasons in the league. This best-case scenario is one that forces Mavs head coach Jason Kidd’s hand into a more one-sided minutes split at the five and puts Lively in the conversation for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award for 2025-26.

Lively needs to develop his first effective post move to make this happen. Two of them would be even better. A simple drop step. A baby hook. A growing boy cannot subsist on put-backs and lob finishes alone.

Will Lively’s corner 3-pointer ever develop into a weapon? A this point, with further development still necessary around the basket, wishing for that feels greedy. But dreamers dream, and Lively will miss 100% of the shots he doesn’t take in Year Three.

“Not forcing it. Just allowing it to come to me,” Lively said during his Mavericks Media Day interviews on Sept. 29 when asked about his developing jumper. “Trail [3-pointer], corner [3-pointer], just finding the right times in the game and not trying to force it. Trying to be sure that I’m doing what’s right for the team.”

Lively’s statistical best case this year is 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks, sustained over 70 games this season. On the court in the moment, that means Lively becoming a game-wrecker who turns shootouts into rock fights.

It could happen.

Worst-case scenario​

Or, Lively could play 25 games this year after three more nagging injuries hound him throughout the year. The small fracture he suffered in January is fully healed, and he was a full participant both in the team’s training camp activities in Vancouver, BC and in Dallas’ first preseason game, a 106-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday. He appears to be 100% healthy as the regular season draws near.

“I feel great. I feel strong,” Lively said in his Media Day interview. “I’ve been patient — been spending a lot of time in the gym strengthening my body, strengthening my mind, doing what I need to do to get prepared for the season I know I missed some games last year, and I want to play as many games this year as I possibly can and be as consistent as I possibly can.”

He is still a guy who needs reps. Consistently being in the lineup will breed the kind of success the team and its fans want for Lively.

Without that, what you’ll get is eight and eight in 23 minutes.

Season goals​

For Lively to play 70-plus games this year has to be at the top of the list of his goals entering 2025-26. He alluded to “learning from last year” and “playing as many games as possible” in his Media Day interview. Adding post moves and getting a look at his trailing jumper will come if his health lasts this season.

Reps become important as the Mavs install their new Flow offense this year, too. Finding his fit as ball reversals and passing take on an increased importance will be key to Lively taking the next step in his individual development. That increased focus on ball movement seems to fit Lively’s game, as he’s already a severely underrated passing big man.

Dereck Lively II year one kickout passes https://t.co/fgGEeCZmfY pic.twitter.com/MX3nP1IWTh

— Hoops Motion (@HoopsMotion) August 11, 2025

Overall​

Lively has the potential to break out this year. That potential needs to become reality if the Mavs have any hope of competing near the top of the West.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...ively-2025-26-season-preview-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Jason Kidd gets contract extension, again

According to Marc Stein of DLLS, the Dallas Mavericks have elected to sign Jason Kidd to a contract extension. Over the last two summers, there were various reports that he had interest from the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers.

BREAKING: The Mavericks have signed coach Jason Kidd to a multiyear contract extension, @TheSteinLine has learned.

Kidd drew interest from the Lakers and Knicks over the past two summers and Dallas has now responded with a contract extension both times.

More soon @DLLS_Mavs pic.twitter.com/6px80jnxbI

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 14, 2025

Of course, he was under contract, so to join either team he would’ve had to have been traded or Dallas would have had to release him from his contract. Where this gets additionally funny is Jason Kidd already signed a contract extension with Dallas LAST summer.

That extension seemed to come directly as a result of the Laker interest, so the extension made sense. This one… doesn’t. Dallas had him under contract and he had no means of getting out of his contract. But Dallas decided to give him more money and years anyway, which is a testament to his negotiating skills (or that of his agent) and is a signal to just how dedicated Dallas is to their head coach.

Kidd boasts a 174-149 win-loss record with the Mavericks, along with a trip to the Finals in 2024 and Western Conference Finals in 2022. He’s clearly earned his keep in his short stint, winning more playoff series than Rick Carlisle’s entire tenure in Dallas. Kidd boasts a long history in Dallas, first as a player in the 90’s and again in the 2000’s where he helped lead Dallas to their sole NBA Championship.

The continued partnership makes sense, even if the extension is a bit funny. It proves the concept that you never know what you can get unless you ask. While the terms of the deal are not yet known, expect Kidd to be under contract with Dallas through the rest of the decade at least. We’ll know more about the deal in the coming weeks and months, but considering there is no salary cap for coaching, this is all for the good.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/mavericks-news/51041/jason-kidd-gets-contract-extension-again

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Roundtable: Who is the best player on the Mavericks?

In past years, this question was a bit different: who is the second-best Maverick? Luka Doncic existed, so it was pretty obvious. Now, it’s harder to ask who the best Maverick is and who is the second-best Maverick as well? The staff answered and even though I suggested we leave Kyrie out of this, no listens.

David: The best Maverick is Kyrie Irving. Unfortunately, he is hurt. Among the active guys, I think Anthony Davis is objectively the best player Dallas has. Whether he has the largest impact is another discussion, but he probably is the best player on the team right now. He’ll average the most points (I hope) and have good counting stats to back this up. As for the second best, right now I am going with P.J. Washington. Dereck Lively is right there, but Washington provides a certain versatility that Lively does not yet. My hope is that by that end of the year both of these answers are stupid, and the clear-cut one-two punch is Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.

Bryan: Anthony Davis is the best Maverick. Bloated, slow and severely out of his depth in space against modern big forward athletes, AD is still an overwhelming talent on both ends that more often than not makes putting up with the frustrations his positional identity crisis brings worth it. On a less cynical note, Cooper Flagg appears to be every bit the second-best player on the Mavericks (non-Kyrie division) that we hoped. Has been every bit the off-ball playmaker we hoped on both offense and defense on top of being much further ahead as an on-ball offensive creator than most expected. He appears poised to take even another leap from the on-ball boom he experienced at Duke and everyone stands to benefit from that

Chris: The best Maverick (even with Kyrie) is Anthony Davis. We haven’t seen a true Anthony Davis yet because he’s been injured and the fit is still awkward. Maybe said better, Anthony Davis is the best Maverick when he’s playing the 5. But since he doesn’t want that, the jury is still out on if the Mavs can make this work. But he’s a top-10 talent in the league and can still be in the top 10-15 player discussion if he and the Mavs can figure out his fit in this ridiculously big lineup.

The second best Maverick (not including Kyrie) is the 18-year-old. Cooper Flagg will show his youth at times during the season, to be expected. But I think he’s going to be a 20-6-5 guy by the end of the season. PJ is close and we’ve seen signs he’s going to have a leap season, but Cooper Flagg is more versatile offensively than PJ, and can create his own shot. Flagg has no ceiling.

I thought about this earlier today too. In this first half of the season, no kyrie, who is taking the last shot with the game on the line????

Tyler: Cooper Flagg is the best Maverick and I am not even saying that to be different. With Anthony Davis playing the four, forcing yet another big onto the floor at the five, it minimizes Anthony Davis’ impact and doesn’t let his best abilities show. Because of that, Cooper Flagg is already a better player. Flagg is going to be a master connector, and as the year goes he’s going to be more and more comfortable in that role. If the shot is there in any way, Flagg will be immediately special.

The second best player is Davis, but if a 100% Kyrie Irving were on this roster I would place Kyrie ahead of both Davis and Flagg.

Michael: Kyrie Irving is the best player on the Mavericks. He controls the offense, commands doubles, and is most likely to take (and hit – see left-handed hook against Denver) the last shot, or else at least facilitate it. He also has the stats to back it up. Since he will be starting the season injured…

I’ll instead choose Anthony Davis, my sure-fire second best player, as the best player on the team at least until Irving returns to form. Davis arguably has better stats than Irving (granted, vastly different positions) but feels a bit less like the obvious go-to in the most crucial moments. Nonetheless, a great future Hall of Famer and obvious best active player on the team in my opinion.

With Davis moving from second best to best due to Irving’s injury, that opens up a lot of fun picking a new second best. It’s much more difficult when you get past Irving and Davis, but I’ll choose Naji Marshall. I can’t yet go with Cooper Flagg (though I reserve the right to eat my words after a few weeks of play) and feel like I’m slighting P.J. Washington, but Marshall gets my vote in the moment. His ability to create his own shot and ball handle a bit better than Washington is why I picked him as second second-best player for this particular roster. I anticipate that opinion will age poorly with the emergence of Flagg, but right now, I give him my vote as the most versatile and second-best active player on the roster… for now.

Kirk: Anthony Davis is the obvious answer, but I’ll admit to being frustrated with him coming into camp out of shape. I also don’t like how he says he wants to play the power forward spot. He’s a center. But he’s still the player capable of the most with Kyrie out. If we’re including Kyrie then this discussion gets really hard. But for now, it’s AD.

The second best player is PJ Washington. Flagg is going to make a strong case but I need to see it in real games before he takes over.

Matt M.: Cooper Flagg is going to be the best Maverick this season. He lifts all tides with his defense and his offense is coming along nicely this preseason. I think he affects the game in more ways than Anthony Davis does, and he’ll play more games than Kyrie Irving will. His ability to play-make as well as to score it himself sets him apart from everyone else on this roster, and then there’s his tenacious defense, which we’ll all look back on and be forced to call elite after his rookie season.

Anthony Davis will be my choice for the second spot. He still does enough things on the floor to be considered part of the NBA’s upper echelon. He will fill the stat sheet from time to time, but he will also leave us wanting more at times. He’s got something to prove this year and the motivation will be there.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...table-who-is-the-best-player-on-the-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavericks vs Lakers Final Score: Dallas defeats Los Angeles, 121-94

The Dallas Mavericks pulled past the Los Angeles Lakers Wednesday night in an odd Las Vegas “home” game, winning

Dallas opted to start the massive line up again with Cooper Flagg at point, along with Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively. Gabe Vincent did not care one bit about the Dallas size and proceeded to hit five threes in succession in the opening minutes. After falling behind by double digits, D’Angelo Russell, Naji Marshall, and Max Christie entered the game and quickly whittled down the Laker lead. Though the Mavericks couldn’t get it all back, they trailed by four after 12 minutes with the Lakers up 36-32.

The second period was ugly for Dallas. Little offense from the Mavericks paired with less than optimal defense, and Dallas found themselves down double digits again and they really had no answers. The Lakers shooting wasn’t fantastic, but it was significantly better than the Mavericks and any attempt to climb out of the hole was done by transition baskets and free throws, not threes. That meant making real dents in the lead took sustained runs on both ends of the floor and Dallas couldn’t muster anything of the sort. The Mavericks went to half down 66-53.

Dallas opened the second half with a little more fire and slowly but surely ground down the Laker lead. Given the talent disparity between the two line ups, it seemed unlikely the Mavericks would stay down double digits for another entire half of basketball. Unfortunately for Dallas, despite playing everyone from what should be the regular season rotation, they were not actually able to retake the lead. The Mavericks entered the final frame down 86-84.

Kidd elected to continue playing starters and rotation players into the fourth and Dallas finally retook the lead around the 10:30 mark as Dereck Lively scored two straight jump hooks. The Mavericks finally pulled the expected regular rotation guys which allowed Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy to get their shots up. Dallas quickly built a double digit lead as the Laker offense finally died. The scored just 2 points for much of the period, and Dallas ran away with the game, winning 121-94.

Is this game a preseason blip or a sign of things to come?​

I broadly consider myself a realist though I suspect most readers and listeners would consider me pessimistic in terms of my Dallas Mavericks outlook. So understanding that, if you’re the kind of fan who looks at this game and says “It’s just preseason” I want you to know I get it and that’s a defensible position.

But if you watched this game, you have to admit, it felt awful. Dallas was playing all their regular rotation players and it took them 38 minutes of basketball to take a lead over a Los Angeles team that was playing at most 3 guys who will regularly see minutes, let alone a high volume of minutes. The half-court offense, this dribble hand off crud, it sucks. There’s movement for the sake of it, sound and fury signifying nothing, and not near enough space to do anything. Pair that with a dearth of decent shooting and that side of the ball feels gross outside of transition offense. This team, so far, cannot shoot threes.

The defense is touted as the team’s calling card, but right now I don’t see it. I see and understand the vision, but the execution at a high level has to be nearly constant. If the Mavericks’ defense falters, the offense doesn’t have the juice to keep pace. That can, of course, change. But right now it seems that the Dallas path to wins is bludgeon the other team and hope they don’t have the offense to outpace you.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...los-angeles-121-94-cooper-flagg-anthony-davis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Mavs vet Dwight Powell likes what he’s seeing: “That’s the beauty of a team like ours”

Dwight Powell, backup center and by far the longest tenured Dallas Maverick, has become quite the culture and chemistry guy for this team going into his 12th season in Dallas.

Last May, then Maverick Spencer Dinwiddie, who went to the Charlotte Hornets this summer, called Powell a “standout voice in the locker room” through adversity. This was back when injuries plagued the team and the noise surrounding the organization after the Luka trade was deafening.

This preseason, Dwight Powell seems to be committed to continue being that voice in the locker room, emphasizing himself what is key on a winning team:

“I think that culture is super important and you can already see it in the locker room and in practice. Guys are competing,” Powell said, according to Mavs.com.

The Dallas Mavericks roster is both talented and deep on many positions this season, but talent doesn’t equate to winning in itself, as Powell points out. It takes more than that:

“It’s one thing to be talented. But you got to have that competitive edge and want to compete on every possession. Our ability so far to be able to do that in practice is a great sign for what’s to come in the season ahead.”

And he also likes what he’s seeing when it comes to creating chemistry already with this group, even before the season has started:

“Everybody’s involved. The biggest part about chemistry is that everybody has to understand that you have a role to play, but being competitive and bringing energy is something everybody’s got to do. And so far, the group has done a great job of that.”

It looks like Dwight Powell has taken the lead on bringing that energy to the locker room and the court. Coach Jason Kidd made a point of praising the energy Powell brought in Dallas’ first preseason game against Oklahoma City Thunder:

“I just loved his energy. His energy was contagious. We talked about the energy staying high for 48 minutes and I thought the group did that. And DP was really good.”

“I try my best,” Powell said, according to Mavs.com. “Try my best to help any way I can, be a spark where I can and lead where I can. And find ways to help us be successful. That role’s going to change throughout the year. You just got to be ready for the opportunities.”

As the team will be forced to adapt to injuries, opponents and perhaps trades throughout the season, Powell is well-aware of how everyone’s roles, and specifically his own, may be changing:

“That’s the beauty of a team like ours. We’re going to continue to improve, continue to evolve and learn each other’s games, learn how we’re going to build this chemistry over the course of the season. So, if we’re all pointed toward winning, everything will fall in place as it should.”

And Dwight Powell knows more than most what it takes to work through and overcome adversity. This is what he said back in 2020, just after rupturing his achilles tendon. An injury that would keep him off the court for more than a year:

“One of the things I learned early on, before I even went to college was that the moment you think you’ve made it is when you start to fall off. As long as you’re striving to get to the next step and finding ways to get better physically and mentally or whatever it may be to help the team win, that’s always been my focus.”

Find more Beyond Basketball pieces here.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...s-seeing-thats-the-beauty-of-a-team-like-ours

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: Heat culture will be on full display in Miami

The Heat are a world away from the team that made the NBA Finals just three seasons ago. Their 2025 was defined by disappointment and reality, as they came to terms with the fact that Jimmy Butler no longer was the engine that could drive them to playoff success. Last year was the first season since 2021 where Miami didn’t win a single playoff game.

Without Butler, their focus turns to younger guys like Tyler Herro (who is hurt), Jaime Jaquez, and first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis, with veteran scoring from Norman Powell and Andrew Wiggins attempting to make something out of a strange roster. Bam Adebayo has anchored a good defense every year he has been in Miami, and his presence should add stability to a lot of moving pieces. With the East being so weak this upcoming season, Miami is probably telling themselves that they can find a way to sneak into the playoffs with a chance to win a series.

Miami Heat: Over/Under 38.5 Wins (-106/-114)​

Last Season: 37-45​

Additions: Kasparas Jakucionis, Precious Achiuwa, Norman Powell​

Losses: Haywood Highsmith​

It will probably be better for the Heat’s functionality with Jimmy Butler gone this year. He was a dark cloud over the team, at least from a media perspective, for the entirety of the season before he got traded. They finished last season 10-4 (including the play-in), before getting swept by Cleveland in the first round. That is something to build on. Erik Spoelstra is great coach, Kel’el Ware has shown flashes of insanity, and a Herro/Powell backcourt should be as explosive as anyone. They won 37 games amidst all of the distractions in 2025, and I think 40 to 42 wins is possible in 2026. If there is any year where “Heat culture” will rear its head, this is the one.

Prediction: Over 38.5 wins (-106)​

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...26-nba-season-preview-tyler-herro-bam-adebayo

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Can Dante Exum stay on the court for the Mavericks?

It’s hard to give Dante Exum’s time in Dallas a grade. As has become the theme with the Dallas Mavericks, when he’s been on the court, he’s been good. But the problem has been him being on the court.

When the Mavericks took a flyer on Exum in the 2023 offseason and signed the number five overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft, he had a growing history of injuries. Those injuries included a torn ACL in 2015, shoulder surgery in 2017, and a torn patellar tendon in 2019.

Exum played oversees for two seasons before signing his deal with the Mavs in 2023. Exum was a good player, but he came with risk.

The Good​

Exum has averaged career highs with the Mavs in points (8.0), assists (2.8), and rebounds (2.4) in his two seasons on 19.5 minutes per game. His shooting has been incredibly efficient on 52% from the floor, 47% from three, and 77% from the free throw line. He’s a versatile defender who can also be the point guard off the bench to lead the second unit.

Jason Kidd has tested him in a variety of small roles, and Exum has passed in most of them. When he’s healthy, he’s an ideal player teams want to give their bench some a balanced mix of scoring, defending, and leadership. Wherever you put him, he’ll thrive.

The Bad​

The main undertone of Exum’s career has been his inability to stay on the floor. His time in Dallas has been (unfortunately) similar to his previous stints in the NBA. Since joining the Mavs, Exum has suffered a right heel contusion (2023), right foot sprain (2024), underwent wrist surgery (2024) Achilles strain (2025), and broken left hand (2025). The Mavericks need guards and need them healthy. The risk-reward of signing Exum has swayed closer to the risk side. He’s played a total of just 75 games in his two seasons in Dallas.

However, the Mavericks’ front office recognized Dallas’s dire need for creative guards and decided to waive former 2023 pick Olivier Maxence-Prosper, in order to re-sign Exum to a one-year deal. The Mavs are loaded in the frontcourt, so waiving Maxence-Prosper isn’t the end of the world, but it shows the loyalty and belief the Mavs front office has in Exum.

Best Case Scenario​

Well, this one is easy. A best-case scenario has Exum stay healthy. It’s hard to put a number on games played, but somewhere in the range of 60 games (about 75%) would be a win for the Mavs. Exum can lead the bench unit, give the Mavs a good number of double-digit scoring nights, while being the facilitator to help the Mavs second string offense flow. Defense should be a strong point for Dallas even without him, but having Exum certainly helps. A perfect world also has Exum still playing good defense, using his quickness to his advantage, and providing energy when Dallas needs it.

Worst Case Scenario​

Exum deals with a plethora of injuries again and doesn’t see the floor much. Because of this, even when he plays, he’s inconsistent due to the lack of chemistry with the new players around him. Exum falls out of the rotation and Dallas leans heavily on Brandon Williams and possibly Dennis Smith Jr. This scenario would be Exum’s last year in Dallas.

Season Goal​

Exum just needs to be on the court. If he is, the Mavericks are objectively a better team. His presence is enough to make the difference between a play-in and playoff team by season’s end.

Overall​

There is only one big question mark with Dante Exum and that’s his health. A healthy Dante Exum is a key piece to Dallas’s success, especially without Kyrie Irving. Dallas has enough big men, wings, and defense. They need more depth in guys who can create their own shot and facilitate the offense, and Dante Exum can do both.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dallas-mavericks-player-previews/50899/player-preview-dante-exum

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Cooper Flagg and New Balance unveil first design ahead of NBA debut

Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has plenty to look forward to in the next week. With anticipation that has built for the last 18-plus months, the former Duke Blue Devil will be making his NBA debut at home on October 22 against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs to kick-off the Mavericks’ regular season. Paired with that is the launch of the Cooper Flagg x New Balance Hesi Low V2, his first PE shoe in his partnership with the brand.

FIRST LOOK: Cooper Flagg’s 1st PE of the New Balance Hesi V2 is inspired by the greenery of Maine and will launch 10/22 as he makes his NBA debut.

“It allows me to take a piece of Newport with me as I step onto the court for my first official NBA game,” said Flagg. pic.twitter.com/iUrTLgOs4W

— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) October 16, 2025

The design, a nod to his New England roots and the greenery of his hometown in Maine, is the first time Flagg and the brand have launched an exclusive design since he partnered with them in the summer of 2024 ahead of his lone college season. The shoe will reportedly retail at $120 upon availability next week.

The brand and Flagg both spoke to SLAM Magazine in Las Vegas this summer for his cover story. In developing the design and what it represents to the rookie, it also reflects his playing style in many ways.

“That’s what the Hesi Low really provided. All of those three things into one,” added [Kevin] Trotman, Senior Basketball Product Manager at New Balance. “His playing style really speaks to the shoe as well. He’s really smooth and he has a timeless type of game.”

Sneakerheads will have stronger (valid) opinions, but the understated design looks clean and will look good against the Mavericks branding. And the undeniable comfortability of New Balance’s “Dad Shoe” aesthetic will make these a great wear for fans off the court.

The announcement on Thursday pairs nicely with the Dallas Mavericks’ own unveiling of this season’s Hardwod Classic uniform, celebrating the team’s 45th anniversary. While the Mavericks have featured the green uni’s in recent past, this one is particularly special, celebrating the early legends of the expansion franchise.

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Between Flagg’s shoe launch and the videos from the team celebrating these beautiful green jerseys it got us thinking of another Maverick great wearing some complete classics:

I would be in favor of Flagg leaning into the Brad Davis vibes, leaving just the mustache, and snagging a pair of these socks to face Wembanyama opening night.

The Mavericks are off until opening night on October 22, a game set for an 8:30 PM CT tip-off on ESPN.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/maver...n-ahead-of-nba-debut-wembanyama-opening-night

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Caleb Martin and the Cost of Control

You know that feeling in NBA 2K when you’re in Franchise Mode, trying to build the team of your dreams, and the computer keeps rejecting your trade offers because they’re not remotely fair? So you scroll over to the settings and flip on “Force Trades” — suddenly, all your delusional rebuilds go through, no matter how ridiculous.

The opposite of that was Nico Harrison’s general managing style last season.

While the focus of Mavs fans’ collective rage will always be the abominable trade of Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis, the swap of Quentin Grimes and a second-rounder for Caleb Martin deserves its own plaque in the Hall of Self-Inflicted Wounds.

Dallas didn’t just give away the better player — they attached a pick, too — ostensibly because they were afraid of what Grimes might cost in restricted free agency. Then, in a twist of cosmic comedy, Grimes signed a one-year qualifying offer the Mavericks easily could have matched.

Grimes is what this roster needs more of, not less: a mid-twenties two-way guard still on the rise. Instead, they got a 30-year-old wing on the decline and called it cost control.

That NBA 2K setting called Harrison Mode forces the computer to take trades that are unfair to you — and somehow, the Mavericks keep finding new ways to make that the default.

We’re not here to bury Caleb Martin, or even call him a bad fit. He’s a gamer. But his time in Dallas will always carry a shadow — a reminder of what they gave up to get him, and how regressive the move looks every time Quentin Grimes drops another 25-point night in Philly – especially if Dallas struggles to score with 77 gone west and Kyrie Irving stuck in street clothes.

---

Undrafted. Unbothered. Unafraid — until the body stopped cooperating. Martin clawed from Charlotte’s bench to Miami’s rotation, where his defense and big-stage poise made him a cult hero. In the 2023 East Finals, he outplayed Jaylen Brown and nearly stole ECF MVP from Jimmy Butler.

Then came the slow fade: knees, ankles, shoulders, hips — the attrition tax of Heat Culture minutes. By February 2025, he was two years removed from his peak. Martin parachuted into what remained of a Mavs roster decimated by injuries, but made minimal impact when he was able to get on the floor, averaging under 20 minutes in just 14 games for Dallas.

Big Question​

Dallas’ gamble on Martin wasn’t about the ceiling — it was about control. A mid-tier salary slot. A veteran body. A résumé that whispered safe. The problem: nothing about Caleb Martin has looked safe since he limped out of Philadelphia.

In a front office obsessed with locking in predictable costs, Nico Harrison bet that known quantity > rising quality. Quentin Grimes disagreed — then went and made Philadelphia forget Joel Embiid existed for a month. Now, a preseason has come and gone without a Caleb Martin sighting. Is that a sign of things to come?

Best Case Scenario​

Martin becomes that guy again — the chaos merchant who sprints into passing lanes and hits corner threes before opponents can rotate. If the hip holds and the jumper returns, he can stabilize a second unit built around Max Christie, Naji Marshall, and Brandon Williams. He doesn’t have to score much — just guard, cut, and finish. Think: eight efficient points, solid closeouts, a veteran voice in the locker room.

In this version, Dallas wins a moral victory: the contract becomes tradable, the minutes meaningful, and Harrison can utter “veteran presence” without fans grinding their teeth.

Worst Case Scenario​

The injuries linger. The shot flattens. Martin becomes another entry in Dallas’ long ledger of reactive optimism — a regime allergic to patience but addicted to patchwork. He plays 18 minutes a night, shoots 30 percent from deep, and gives the same postgame quote ten times:

“Just trying to find my rhythm.”

Meanwhile, Quentin Grimes keeps dropping 30 and 40-pieces in Philly, and every Liberty Ballers headline feels like divine trolling.

Season Goals​

• Stay on the floor. Durability is now the talent.
• Reclaim the corner three. It’s his career lifeline.
• Be the defensive irritant again. Dallas doesn’t need another ball-handler; they need someone willing to take the opposing wing’s best scorer.
• Show visible energy. In a rotation of polished veterans, effort is his differentiator.

Overall​

Caleb Martin is the kind of player you root for but don’t rely on. He’s all effort and half stability — a man built to thrive in chaos, now employed by a franchise that manufactures its own.

The tragedy isn’t that he declined. It’s that Dallas paid for his highlight reel instead of his health report.
When you trade youth and upside for cost certainty, you often don’t find reliability — you get a receipt.

Extra Credit Track ​

Black Pumas — “Colors.”
A song about reflection, not regret.
Because sometimes the thing that fades first isn’t talent — it’s timing.

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...artin-2025-26-season-preview-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

Maverick’s Dwight Powell looks to cement his legacy in Dallas

We are officially one week from the start of the NBA regular season, with the Dallas Mavericks kicking things off at home against the San Antonio Spurs next Wednesday, October 22nd. It’s been an emotional past year as a Mavericks fan, to say the least. There have been some difficult goodbyes, and one very auspicious welcome, alongside an often tumultuous fan relationship with the franchise’s leadership. For many of the old Dirk-heads amongst us, major change wasn’t something of a regular occurrence within the Dallas locker room, nor within the way it conducted its business. While 2025 showcases a different set of commonalities and virtues than that era did, it can certainly be said that this team – as a whole – showcases a wider range of talent than almost any team since the 2011 championship squad. And while health may play a major factor in where this team ultimately ends up, its ceiling is nonetheless very high, on paper.

Something that doesn’t always appear on that paper, though, is a team’s chemistry and its veteran leadership. And as we prepare to kick off what we anticipate as being a strong 2025 campaign here in Dallas, our initial question is: who better to set our expectations by than the longest-tenured player on the team (with the 5th most regular season games played in franchise history): Dwight Harlan Powell?

Big Question​

In my mind, there are two big questions. First (a two-parter, itself), can Dwight be the veteran presence needed in this locker room to help with unlocking Cooper Flagg’s potential, as well as leading this team from an emotional standpoint? Powell has shown a great deal of tenacity during his lengthy career. He’s often asked to be ready to start at a moment’s notice, while other times being depended upon to be a vocal leader from the bench. With Flagg hoping to hit the ground running as a rookie, and with the Mavs being without elite veteran Kyrie Irving to start the season, can Powell provide that steady voice to keep the ship upright during the good and bad times this team will face?

The second, and maybe more important question, is how much will we see Dwight in action this season? What his minute average looks like in a few minutes could be a telling stat for one of two very different reasons. If the team’s starters are kicking ass and taking names early on, leading to big enough leads to warrant sitting the starters during the 4th quarter, Jason Kidd may call on Dwight to spell the more elite players ahead of him in the front court (Anthony Davis, Derrick Lively II, Daniel Gafford). The other scenario that sees Powell with big minutes is the scary one. As talented as the three big men just mentioned are, if more than one of them finds themself on the injury list, Dallas’s defense-first gameplan could face major complications.

Best Case Scenario​

The best case scenario would be the one mentioned above where Dwight sees lots of 4th quarter minutes due to excellent game execution by the starters, with Dallas winning a high volume of games by large margins via elite defense and steady offense. With this scenario, the punch king of Dallas basketball can ride out the final season of his current contract like a horse into the sunset. And best, best case scenario, Dwight is able to fill this very important role on a team that wins the championship, something which would absolutely cement Powell’s legacy in Dallas and increase his status as a local fan-favorite.

Worst Case Scenario​

As also mentioned above, the worst case scenario for Dwight Powell’s season this year would also be the worst case scenario for the Mavericks team, which would find him starting at the 5 for any reason other than resting starters for the playoffs.

Season Goal​

With those things in mind, it seems best to stay on the positive side of thinking and talk realistically about what we hope to see from Dwight. I think it’s more of the first question above. Not only can he be a voice of leadership for this very talented team (alongside veterans Klay Thompson, Davis, and Irving), but can he find a way to help unlock Flagg’s potential by teaching him some of those hard-earned tricks that have made him the resilient player that he is?

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...powell2025-26-season-preview-dallas-mavericks

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: The Atlanta Hawks are ready to soar

Atlanta has not made the playoffs in two seasons. In fact, since they made the Conference Finals in 2021, their success has slowly tailed off. They have lost in the first round twice, had a winning record once, and have had three head coaches. It has been a whirlwind for the Hawks, and not the reality fans thought they’d be in when Trae Young made the All-Star team in his second season.

Fortunately, the arrow is pointing up in Atlanta. They have last year’s number one pick, Zaccharie Risacher, a great young forward in Jalen Johnson, and traded for former Maverick Kristaps Porzingis this summer. Dyson Daniels made a leap last year into a Swiss Army Knife that helps in every way. Clint Capela was dealt to Houston to clear space for Porzingis and Onyeka Okongwu to control the paint. This is a group that has athleticism, youth, talent, and defensive capability. The Hawks are looking to put the East on notice.

Atlanta Hawks: Over/Under 47.5 Wins (-104/-118)​

Last Season: 40-42​

Additions: Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard​

Losses: Larry Nance Jr., Terance Mann​

I love everything the Hawks did this offseason. The Young-Porzingis relationship is a bit 2020 Mavericks-y, but I think with Porzingis’ maturity and the defenders they have around them, it can probably work. Luke Kennard has sneakily been one of the best shooters in the league since he was drafted, and this is a chance to be a part of a meaningful team, something he hasn’t experienced in a few seasons. Johnson is a guy who can be a difference-maker for a championship team, and if he stays healthy, the All-Star game could be in his cards. This Hawks team is good, hungry, and well-constructed. Don’t be surprised if they have home court advantage in the playoffs.

Prediction: Over 47.5 wins (-104)​

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...-season-preview-trae-young-kristaps-porzingis

 

[Dallas Mavericks]

MMBets: The Memphis Grizzlies might be underrated

Memphis won a very quiet 48 games a season ago. That was good for eighth place in an extremely competitive Western Conference. They were swept in round one by the eventual champions, and for the third consecutive season, they failed to win a playoff series. After another disappointing season, they traded Desmond Bane to Orlando to allow some of their young players to step up.

Memphis is now entering year seven with Ja Morant. They have yet to make it out of the second round with him. He has been on and off the court as much as anyone the last few years, so to say this is a “prove it” year for him and the franchise would be an understatement. There are a lot of storylines going into the NBA season, and Memphis has flown under the radar. The Grizzlies are looking to show the West that they are still here.

Memphis Grizzlies: Over/Under 39.5 Wins (-106/-114)​

Last Season: 48-34​

Additions: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cedric Coward​

Losses: Desmond Bane, Jake Laravia, Marcus Smart​

Ja Morant is still a very good player. He has averaged 26 points and seven assists in the 177 games he has played over the last four seasons. The issue, obviously, is that his game total is so low. He cannot stay on the court for many reasons. Couple that with Jaren Jackson’s turf toe, Zach Edey’s ankle surgery, and Brandon Clarke’s knee, and you have a very large injury concern with the Grizzlies’ core. Regardless, in the last three seasons in which Morant played 50-plus games, Memphis has won 48 games or more. The loss of Desmond Bane will be felt, but they have the likes of Cedric Coward, Jaylen Wells, GG Jackson, and Vince Williams to pick up some of the slack Bane left. This total is too low for a team with this much talent.

Prediction: Over 39.5 wins (-106)​

Source: https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/dalla...rizzlies-2025-26-nba-season-preview-ja-morant