The Dallas Mavericks are heading to Las Vegas with a summer league slate that should give fans their first look at the team’s 2026 draft class.
Dallas used the 2026 NBA Draft to add four newcomers, headlined by former Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr., whom new head coach Dusty May knows well. That connection adds a little extra juice to a summer league run that is less about winning the event and more about sorting out who can help the Mavericks moving forward.
The franchise is still piecing together its roster, and the next stretch could matter for more than just development. Second-round picks Tobi Lawal and Vsevolod Ishchenko are among the players who could work their way into standard contracts or two-way deals depending on how they perform in Las Vegas.
Dallas will get at least five chances to evaluate its group, though only four of those matchups have been announced so far. The Mavericks open against the Golden State Warriors on July 9, then face the Los Angeles Lakers on July 11, the Memphis Grizzlies on July 13, and the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 16. All four games will be played at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Here’s the schedule Dallas has released: July 9 - Dallas Mavericks vs.
Golden State Warriors (6:00 PM CT on ESPN), Thomas & Mack Center
July 11 - Dallas Mavericks vs.
Los Angeles Lakers (9:00 PM CT on ESPN), Thomas & Mack Center
July 13 - Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies (6:00 PM CT on ESPN), Thomas & Mack Center
July 16 - Dallas Mavericks at Oklahoma City Thunder (3:00 PM CT on Prime), Thomas & Mack Center
There’s also a familiar twist for Morez Johnson and Dusty May. They could run into two of their fellow Wolverines who won the national championship, with Yaxel Lendeborg on the Warriors and Aday Mara on the Thunder.
The fifth game on Dallas’ schedule hasn’t been set yet. That matchup will depend on the Mavericks’ winning percentage, with consolation games slated for Friday and Saturday. The semifinals and championship game are both scheduled for Sunday.
Dallas has not announced its full summer league roster yet, but a few names are already known. Second-year guard Ryan Nembhard is set to participate, though the Mavericks may keep a close eye on his workload since he’s with Team Canada in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers until July 6.
The four rookies - Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea, Tobi Lawal, and Vsevolod Ishchenko - are expected to be in the mix as well. Ishchenko is viewed as a possible stash option, and De Larrea just finished a Liga ACB Championship run with Valencia Basket on June 24.
A few other players are worth watching, too. AJ Johnson is entering his third year in the league and still hasn’t logged much NBA playing time. Tyler Smith and John Poulakidas were on two-way contracts last season, and neither has locked down a clear future role.
The Mavericks should have their full summer league roster out in the coming days.
In Other News...
Mavericks Make Early Free Agency Move Cooper Flagg Fans Will Love
Ryan Nembhard gave the Mavericks enough as a rookie to make himself part of the conversation going forward, and Dallas moved early to make sure he stays in the picture. The guard appeared in 60 games and made 27 starts, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists while showing enough steadiness for the front office to keep him in the fold.
For a team that still has work to do around its young core, securing Nembhard now lets Dallas move on to the rest of free agency without worrying about another rotation piece drifting away. It also keeps a backcourt option on the board through the 2026-27 season, which matters for a roster trying to build some continuity as it adds more talent around Cooper Flagg. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks May Have A Bigger Frontcourt Decision Than Fans Realize
With free agency set to open June 30 and contracts officially starting July 6, the Mavericks are sorting through a frontcourt picture that looks a little more complicated than it did a few weeks ago. Dallas is building around Cooper Flagg and has four unrestricted free agents to consider, but Marvin Bagley III is the name that could force the toughest conversation among them.
Bagley gave the Mavericks a usable stretch after coming over from Washington, and that kind of frontcourt depth matters when a team is trying to stabilize its roster heading into a pivotal summer. The problem is that Dallas may not be eager to chase the kind of contract Bagley can find on the open market, especially with other center priorities already on the books and several teams likely to take a look. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Kawhi Leonard Buzz Comes With Two Massive Red Flags
The Mavericks have been floated as a possible landing spot if the Clippers ever decided to listen on Kawhi Leonard, with some chatter around a package built from P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft capital. It is the sort of star-chasing speculation that naturally follows Dallas around, especially when a player of Leonards caliber enters the conversation and the front office has to be mentioned by default.
For now, though, the buzz comes with plenty of caution tape. NBA insider Jake Fischer has said Dallas is not viewed as a plausible destination at this stage, and he added that the league has not yet indicated it would stop a Leonard deal outright. Even so, the combination of the trade cost and the questions surrounding Leonards long-term future makes this feel more like background noise than a real path forward, at least until the market tells a different story. [Read more 🡒]