ESPN’s latest offseason power rankings kept the Mavericks right where they were after the Finals: 23rd. The panel also slotted Luka Dončić’s Lakers at 11th, a dozen spots higher than Dallas and two places below where they were ranked after the Finals.
Dallas is operating with a patient approach under team president Masai Ujiri, who is building around Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks have multiple veterans available in trade talks, but Kyrie Irving is not among them. Irving is back from a torn ACL and is not available in trades.
The roster shuffle around Dallas has been busy. ESPN listed Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser, and Zaccharie Risacher as the notable additions, while Khris Middleton and Marvin Bagley III were the departures. The Mavericks finished 26-56 last season, and Flagg, the Rookie of the Year, posted 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals.
The front office has changed shape quickly. Ujiri was hired on May 4, and 15 days later the Mavericks and Jason Kidd parted ways. Mike Schmitz arrived as general manager, and Dallas hired Dusty May as head coach on June 23.
The draft brought four prospects into the fold. Dallas selected Johnson Jr. ninth, then moved up five spots later in the first round for Sergio de Larrea, sending the New York Knicks the 30th pick and two second-rounders.
Tobi Lawal landed in Dallas at No. 48 on a two-way deal, and the Mavericks sent cash to the Los Angeles Lakers for the rights to Vsevolod Ishchenko at No. 56.
Dallas also worked the trade market. A six-team deal brought in Aldama, Sasser, and the draft rights to Tarik Biberovic.
Then, on July 19, the Mavericks acquired Risacher from Atlanta in a three-team trade and sent Ryan Nembhard the other way. Risacher’s $13.8 million salary fit into the $20.8 million trade exception created by the Anthony Davis deal in February.
That exception still has roughly $15.6 million left, and Dallas also has the full $15 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception available.
Among the veterans worth watching are Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Daniel Gafford.
Thompson is in the final year of his contract at $17.5 million. Gafford has three seasons and $54 million remaining.
Washington has four years and $88.8 million left, all guaranteed, and counts $19.8 million against the cap this season.
There are also some roster details still settling. Dallas matched a two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet from the Knicks to keep Moussa Cissé.
Jett Howard signed a two-way deal, while Ishchenko has not signed anywhere. That leaves the Mavericks with 16 standard contracts and all three two-way spots filled.
In Other News...
Mavericks Already Have A Marcus Sasser Problem They Can't Ignore
The Mavericks backcourt picture has gotten thin enough that Marcus Sasser is suddenly being asked to handle a role that does not really match his background. He is a shooting guard by trade, but Dallas is expected to lean on him as the primary backup point guard next season, a sign of how much the roster has shifted and how little proven playmaking depth remains behind the starters.
With Kyrie Irving sidelined and the guard room already stretched by recent roster changes, the margin for error is small. Sassers limited experience running an offense leaves Dallas with a real decision to make, and the front office may not be done looking for another guard who can ease the burden and give the team more stability in that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Face A Huge Klay Thompson Decision With Real Stakes
The Mavericks are still working through what Klay Thompson is worth to them as the final year of his contract puts real pressure on any deal. Dallas has been active in the market, and the broader landscape has shifted with LeBron James landing with the Philadelphia 76ers, a move that changes the way teams like the Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat can approach the rest of the summer.
For Dallas, Thompson is part of a larger roster conversation rather than a standalone decision. The front office is also open to moving veterans P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford, while Kyrie Irving remains off limits, which gives the Mavericks a clearer sense of what they will and wont entertain as they sort through the next move. [Read more 🡒]