The 2024/25 season was one of the most eventful in Mavericks history, marked by both the Cooper Flagg draft lottery win and the stunning Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers.
General manager Nico Harrison, the architect of the Doncic deal, was removed from his position in November, bringing some relief to fans and staff within the organisation.
The ’25/26 campaign proved considerably more ordinary by comparison, though it was not without its own significant highs and lows throughout the year.
Flagg delivered everything Dallas hoped for in his debut season, earning Rookie of the Year honours in a tight race with former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel.
The young forward averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game across 70 outings, announcing himself as a genuine cornerstone for the franchise going forward.
Star big man Anthony Davis continued to battle health issues in his second season as a Maverick, managing just 20 regular season games before being traded to the Wizards at the February deadline.
Co-interim general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi took over from Harrison and worked to salvage value from the aging, injury-plagued Davis, who was no longer in the team’s long-term plans.
With Davis traded, Dereck Lively II sidelined with foot problems, and Kyrie Irving recovering from an ACL tear suffered in March 2025, Dallas lost 23 of its first 35 games and fell out of playoff contention early.
The difficult stretch allowed the Mavericks to give extended run to promising youngsters including Max Christie, Naji Marshall, and rookie Ryan Nembhard alongside Flagg throughout the season.
Dallas finished with a 26-56 record, and with Irving and Lively both returning from major injuries, there are clear questions surrounding how quickly this group can be competitive again.
The roster does retain several pieces from the team that reached the NBA Finals in 2024, with Irving, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington all still part of the mix heading into the offseason.
The additions of Christie, Marshall, and Nembhard provide further encouragement, and the Mavericks also hold the number nine overall pick in this year’s draft to bolster the group further.
New president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri now runs the front office, bringing significant championship experience with him as he begins his first summer overseeing the franchise.
With 2026 being the last draft until 2031 in which Dallas controls its own first-round pick, a full-scale rebuild appears unlikely under Ujiri’s new leadership structure.
Flagg, still just 19 years old, represents perhaps the most significant reason for optimism as the Mavericks look to rebuild their identity around a player who projects as a future perennial All-Star.
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