News Mavericks Team Notes

[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.

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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