The Dallas Mavericks wrapped up their preseason yesterday with a decisive 121-94 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers, capping off an offseason and exhibition slate that’s left fans buzzing with anticipation. After a turbulent year that saw the franchise make one of the most shocking moves in NBA history, the Mavericks appear ready to turn the page and compete at the highest level once again.
For a team that reached the 2024 NBA Finals just over a year ago, they had brutal reality check last season. The mid-season trade that sent franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis sent shockwaves through the basketball world. But the Mavericks caught lightning in a bottle this summer when they defied 1.8% odds to win the NBA Draft Lottery, landing Duke phenom Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick. Suddenly, giving them a cornerstone to build around.
The offseason that followed was nothing short of transformational. General Manager Nico Harrison wasted no time retooling the roster around Davis, Kyrie Irving, and the incoming Flagg. The biggest splash came when Dallas pried Klay Thompson away from Golden State in a complex six-team sign-and-trade, landing the four-time champion on a three-year, $50 million deal. Thompson’s arrival addressed the Mavericks’ need for elite shooting alongside their ball-dominant stars, and his championship pedigree provides veteran leadership this young roster desperately needs.
Dallas didn’t stop there. After losing defensive ace Derrick Jones Jr. to the Clippers in free agency, the Mavericks pivoted quickly to sign Naji Marshall to a three-year, $27 million contract. Marshall brings versatile wing defense and shooting that made Jones so valuable during the Finals run. The roster makeover continued with other strategic additions — Dallas extended Daniel Gafford, locked up Kyrie Irving on a team-friendly three-year deal, and re-signed P.J. Washington to maintain front-court continuity. They also brought in D’Angelo Russell on a two-year deal using the taxpayer mid-level exception.
So how did all these new pieces look when the games finally started? The Mavericks finished the preseason with a 2-2 record, dropping their first three games before rattling off consecutive wins against Utah and the Lakers. The offense, which ranked 23rd in offensive rating during the preseason at 108 points per 100 possessions, clearly needs time to gel. That’s not surprising given the roster upheaval and the absence of Kyrie Irving, who’s still recovering from the torn ACL he suffered back in March and isn’t expected to return until January.
Irving’s absence forced Coach Jason Kidd to experiment with different lineups, including the surprising decision to use Cooper Flagg as the primary ball-handler in the final two preseason games. It’s an unconventional choice for an 18-year-old forward, but it speaks to both Flagg’s basketball IQ and the Mavericks’ current roster construction.
And speaking of Flagg, the rookie has looked every bit the generational talent scouts promised. In the preseason opener against Oklahoma City, Flagg contributed 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists while flashing the defensive versatility that made him the consensus number one pick. Against Utah, he struggled with his shot, going 3-for-13, but still impacted the game with his passing and defensive activity. In yesterday’s finale against the Lakers, Flagg put up 13 points and 3 assists, showing continued growth. His three-point shooting hovered around 36% during the preseason, and while the efficiency needs work, already showing off his fearlessness and two-way ability.
Anthony Davis had an up-and-down adjustment period in Dallas. He arrived at training camp about 15 pounds heavier than his playing weight with the Lakers after missing time due to a detached retina procedure. But Davis showed flashes of dominance during the preseason, particularly when Coach Kidd moved him to center. Against Utah, Davis erupted for 25 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in just 25 minutes. In yesterday’s finale against the Lakers, Davis recorded 18 points and 9 rebounds while playing 32 minutes — the kind of workload he’ll see regularly once the season starts.
Klay Thompson’s preseason provided reason for both optimism and concern. The 35-year-old averaged just 8 points per game on 33.3% shooting from three-point range across three preseason appearances. Those numbers aren’t what Dallas is paying for, but preseason shooting percentages rarely predict regular season success, especially for a player with Thompson’s track record. His 207 catch-and-shoot threes last season were 65 more than any Maverick made.
Naji Marshall quietly impressed during the exhibition games, averaging 10.7 points in 18 minutes while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three. P.J. Washington also looked solid with 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game, though his three-point shooting was a concern at just 12.5%. The Mavericks’ bench got solid contributions from Jaden Hardy, Dereck Lively II, and Dwight Powell. Ryan Nembhard, the undrafted point guard from Gonzaga, emerged as a preseason standout with his playmaking ability, combining for 16 assists in the final two games.
Here’s the thing, folks: This is a team with championship aspirations that’s still very much a work in progress. The defense should be excellent — they ranked second in defensive rating during the preseason. With Davis anchoring the paint alongside versatile defenders like Marshall and Washington on the perimeter, the Mavericks have the personnel to be a top-five defensive unit. The offense is where things get tricky. Without Irving for the first half of the season, Dallas will lean heavily on Flagg’s development, Davis’ scoring, and Thompson’s shooting.
With that… Yesterday’s preseason finale offered one last glimpse of what this team could become. The Mavericks pulled away from the Lakers’ reserves in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 37-8 down the stretch to turn a competitive game into a blowout.
The question now is whether Nico Harrison’s bold gamble will pay off. Trading a 26-year-old superstar in Dončić for an injury-prone 32-year-old in Davis was always going to be risky, but landing Flagg changed the outlooks for that trade. If Irving can return healthy in January, if Davis stays on the court, if Flagg lives up to the hype, and if Thompson can rediscover his shooting touch, this team has the pieces to contend.
If you cannot play with them, then root for them!