The Dallas Mavericks have spent the offseason reshaping the roster around Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, but the work is not done yet. With 16 players currently on standard contracts, Dallas has to get down to 15 before opening night, which means another move is coming.
The Mavs have already been busy. They added Sergio De Larrea, Santi Aldama and Tarik Biberović in trades, then brought back Moussa Cissé after matching the two-year minimum offer sheet he signed with the New York Knicks.
Ryan Nembhard was also dealt to the Atlanta Hawks in a move that was headlined by the Oklahoma City Thunder moving on from Lu Dort, and reports suggested Dallas triggered the trade. That deal brought Zaccharie Risacher to the Mavericks.
Even after all that activity, the roster still looks crowded. Dallas’ current depth chart leaves no obvious clean fit for everyone, especially with multiple players clustered at the same spots.
A projected look at the roster shows Kyrie Irving, Marcus Sasser and Sergio De Larrea at guard; Max Christie, Naji Marshall and Tarik Biberović on the wing; Cooper Flagg, Zaccharie Risacher, Klay Thompson and Caleb Martin at forward; P.J. Washington, Santi Aldama and Morez Johnson Jr. in the frontcourt; and Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II and Moussa Cissé at center.
That adds up to one player too many, and the list of possible trade candidates starts with the frontcourt.
P.J. Washington sits at No. 4 on the list.
Dallas now has several players who spend most of their time at power forward, including Washington, Aldama and Johnson. With all three on the roster, fitting everyone into the rotation looks difficult, even if some players slide across positions.
Caleb Martin comes in at No. 3.
He makes sense as a trade chip if another team wants him, and his 2025-26 production was modest: 58 games, 3.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.3 blocks in 14.8 minutes per game. As Grant Afseth notes, "Martin will earn just over $10 million for the upcoming season with a final-year player option for 2027-28 worth under $9.4 million.
Given how many wing players there are on the Mavericks, clearing a roster spot by moving on could be advantageous.''
Daniel Gafford also enters the conversation because Dallas has a surplus of frontcourt depth and may be looking to move the veteran lob threat.
At No. 1 is Klay Thompson. The fit no longer looks right, and the idea of the Mavericks moving on has gained traction.
Thompson came to Dallas with championship expectations alongside Luka Dončić and Irving, but that path has changed. Teams such as the Miami Heat are interested, and the question now is whether Dallas would rather trade him than go the buyout route, especially with Thompson set to make $17.4 million this season.
The Mavericks still have time to work through the possibilities, but the pressure is clear: one more move has to happen, and it looks like Dallas already has a short list.
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 Offseason Just Raised One Huge Question About Cooper Flaggs Timeline
Dallas spent the offseason reshaping the edges of its roster, adding Morez Johnson Jr., Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser and Zaccharie Risacher while moving on from Khris Middleton and Marvin Bagley III. With Masai Ujiri now steering the front office, and Mike Schmitz and Dusty May in place as general manager and head coach, the Mavericks have clearly signaled that the next phase is about building around Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg rather than chasing a quick fix.
The bigger question is how patient that plan can really be. Dallas still has trade exceptions and midlevel flexibility to work with, but it also sits at 16 standard contracts with all two-way spots filled, which leaves less room for maneuvering than a team in transition might prefer. ESPNs offseason panel slotted the Mavericks 23rd, a reminder that the roster still feels unfinished, and the veterans around Flagg are already the names to watch as the front office weighs whether to keep this group intact or keep reshaping it. [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 🡒]