The Mavericks spent last season hunting for something they never quite found: a dependable guard who could keep the offense organized whenever Kyrie Irving wasn’t on the floor. Dallas tried D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Williams, and Ryan Nembhard in that role, but none of them fully seized control. All three are gone now, and the search for a steady backup facilitator has rolled into the 2026-27 season.
That issue was at the heart of Dallas’ backcourt problems in 2025-26. The Mavericks never really had a guard who could finish at the rim, throw lobs, and create clean looks for teammates all at once. They had pieces, sure, but not the kind of guard play that tied everything together.
Nembhard flashed as a playmaker, but he never looked assertive enough to lock down a long-term role. Williams brought a strong handle and solid finishing ability, yet the jumper never became trustworthy.
Russell was supposed to patch the whole thing up when Dallas signed him to a two-year deal in the 2025 offseason, with the idea that he’d steer the offense until Irving was back. Instead, his stint went sideways fast.
His shooting efficiency dipped, his shot selection became an issue, and head coach Jason Kidd eventually stopped trusting him. By the end of his run in Dallas, Russell’s minutes had faded.
Now the Mavericks are seeing a different kind of answer emerge in preseason.
Irving returned and made his long-awaited debut in the team’s second preseason game on Sunday, scoring 17 points and handing out three assists. That matters, of course. But the more interesting development for Dallas may be what’s happening behind him, where the bench finally looks equipped to keep the offense afloat.
Naji Marshall has been a big part of that.
Last season, Marshall handled meaningful minutes as one of Dallas’ lead initiators, and he looked comfortable in that role. The 6-foot-6 forward can get downhill, take contact, and score over smaller defenders. He also has a floater that gives him another way to finish around the basket.
There’s more to his game than just attacking the rim, though. Marshall can move the ball, create for others, and push in transition, which matters for a team with Dusty May prioritizing pace of play.
His playmaking has become one of the more underrated parts of his game. He reads the floor from different angles, finds teammates in stride, and isn’t shy about delivering the lead pass or setting up a lob when the opportunity is there.
Sergio De Larrea gives Dallas another layer.
The newest Maverick looks like a pure point guard in every sense. He plays with patience, lets the action develop, and doesn’t force the issue. De Larrea is a strong passer with excellent vision, and he looks especially comfortable working in the pick-and-roll.
His impact showed up in the team’s second preseason game against the Houston Rockets, where he was credited with a +34 plus-minus rating. That’s the kind of presence Dallas was missing a season ago.
Put Marshall and De Larrea together, and the Mavericks suddenly have more answers in the backcourt than they did last season. It’s early, but the bench looks a lot more stable, and the offense has more ways to function when Irving is off the court.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg Is Giving Mavs Fans A New Reason To Feel Overlooked
ESPNs Brian Windhorst is already sounding like a believer in Cooper Flagg, and for Mavericks fans, that should feel like both validation and frustration. Flaggs rookie season gave Dallas plenty to hang onto, with the young forward leading the team in multiple statistical categories and looking like the kind of player who can anchor the franchises next era.
What Windhorst pointed out, though, is that the national spotlight still hasnt caught up to what Flagg is doing. He suggested the leagues television choices continue to lean toward established stars and bigger markets, which helps explain why Dallas is getting less national attention than its talent level might warrant. For a team trying to build around a rapidly rising rookie, that kind of oversight only adds to the sense that the rest of the league may be late to the party. [Read more 🡒]
Dwight Powell Is Forcing A Mavericks Decision They Didn't Expect
Dwight Powells return has quietly become one of the more interesting camp stories for Dallas. The veteran signed a one-year, non-guaranteed deal for the 2026-26 NBA season, and he has already logged meaningful preseason minutes while drawing praise from head coach Dusty May for the way he has steadied the group and helped bring younger players along.
What makes the situation tricky is that Powell is not just filling a short-term role. If he earns a roster spot, Dallas could find itself weighing a move it probably did not expect this early, especially with roster space always at a premium and room for veteran holdovers never guaranteed. For a player brought back to provide stability, Powell may end up forcing the Mavericks into a decision about how much they value that presence versus the flexibility they still need elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irving Update Has Mavericks Fans Eyeing A Very Different Season
There was already a little buzz around Kyrie Irving when he flashed in preseason, looking sharp enough to remind everyone why Dallas has spent so much time thinking about what his presence can mean. In the game against Houston in China, he put up 17 points in 17 minutes, a tidy glimpse of the scoring burst and pace that can change the feel of a Mavericks lineup in a hurry.
The bigger picture around him is still taking shape, though, and it has a lot to do with how the organization views his next chapter. The Mavericks see a path where Irving is not only back on the floor, but also helping steer younger teammates through the daily grind of a season, with his return carrying the potential to alter the teams ceiling in a way that felt far off not long ago. [Read more 🡒]