The Dallas Mavericks are heading into next season with a roster that can be read two very different ways, and that’s exactly why they’ve become one of the league’s hardest teams to pin down.
ESPN handed Dallas a B- for the offseason. Bleacher Report went all the way to an A+.
Same team, wildly different read. That split says plenty about what the Mavericks have built: a group packed with length, athleticism and defensive flexibility, but also one with real concerns about health, shooting and whether the pieces actually fit together cleanly.
ESPN’s take zeroed in on the imbalance. The outlet wrote, "The Mavericks now have a glut in the frontcourt… But little backcourt depth remains, which makes Kyrie Irving's return from an ACL tear even more important next season." That was the tone of the evaluation - less celebration, more unease about how Dallas will function when the games start counting.
And the frontcourt is crowded. Dallas added Santi Aldama in a trade and brought in Morez Johnson Jr. and Tobi Lawal through the NBA Draft, adding to a group that already includes Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Moussa Cisse and P.J.
Washington. The Mavericks also kept leaning into the same kind of player profile they’ve been chasing: long, athletic defenders who can cover multiple spots.
That approach carried over to the wing, too. Dallas added Zaccharie Risacher and Tarik Biberovic in trades, then used the draft to bring in Vsevolod Ishchenko. It’s a clear pattern, and it fits newly appointed team president Masai Ujiri’s preference for size and versatility.
The issue is what’s left in the backcourt. Marcus Sasser and Sergio De Larrea are the only additions with guard experience, and neither has shown he can reliably run an NBA offense as a primary initiator. Sasser has spent most of his time in the league in an off-ball role, while de Larrea was a late riser in the draft process and may not be ready for immediate NBA minutes at age 20.
Bleacher Report looked at the same roster and saw a different kind of opportunity. It wrote, "This is exactly the kind of summer the Dallas Mavericks should've had ahead of Cooper Flagg's second season. They added loads of length, shooting and potential without giving up much value in free agency and trades."
That outlet also acknowledged the risk in taking Johnson Jr. over the frequently mocked-to-Dallas prospect Brayden Burries, but still liked the Mavericks’ decision to prioritize size and defense over playmaking. It also viewed de Larrea as a possible draft steal, which offers at least some hope for a backcourt that otherwise looks thin.
Bleacher Report closed its assessment by saying, "With this infusion of talent, a second-year leap from Flagg and the return of Kyrie Irving, the Mavs could be back in the playoffs as early as this season."
That’s the crux of the Mavericks right now. One view sees a roster built the Ujiri way, with real defensive upside and plenty of physical tools.
The other sees a team with too many questions in the backcourt to trust fully. Both can be true, and that’s what makes Dallas such a fascinating wildcard entering next season.
In Other News...
Mavericks Are Heading Toward A Contract Squeeze Fans Know Too Well
Dereck Lively IIs extension talks have put the Mavericks right back in familiar territory, with the front office staring at another round of decisions on young players who have already shown enough to matter. Lively is the immediate focus, but Naji Marshall and Max Christie are also extension-eligible after strong seasons, giving Dallas multiple paths to consider as it tries to keep its core intact without boxing itself in too early.
The tension is the same one that always hangs over a team in this position: extend now and hope the number looks smart later, or wait for a bigger sample and risk making the market more expensive. Marshall and Christie have both helped raise the floor around the roster, and the Mavericks have to decide whether the comfort of early certainty is worth the possibility of paying a premium down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Frontcourt Crunch Just Put Two Roster Situations Under The Spotlight
Moussa Cisses path with Dallas has already been a little unusual, and it has only gotten more interesting this summer. After arriving on an Exhibit 10 deal in 2025, he earned a two-way contract, got into 38 games as a rookie and then landed a two-year standard NBA contract after restricted free agency, a sign the Mavericks see real value in a young frontcourt piece who has kept climbing every step of the way.
Cisse has said he is focused on working hard to keep his spot, and that message has been reinforced by offseason conversations with new team president Masai Ujiri and head coach Dusty May. His situation now sits right in the middle of a frontcourt picture that is crowded enough to make every roster decision feel meaningful, while Daniel Gaffords comments on trade speculation add another layer of uncertainty to a group Dallas may still be sorting out. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie And Cooper Flagg Give The Mavericks A Huge New Question
Kyrie Irvings return is shaping up to be one of the biggest swing factors for Dallas entering the season, especially with the guard expected back on opening night after missing all of last year while rehabbing from an ACL injury. The Mavericks did not just wait for him to heal, either. Irving remained around the team, working out before games and spending time in the locker room and practice facility, while also offering Cooper Flagg the kind of guidance only a former No. 1 pick can provide.
Flagg has had a front-row seat to Irvings approach, and the relationship has grown well beyond a simple veteran-rookie introduction. Irving and Flagg have been in regular contact, and the way they fit together could matter as much as anything Dallas does this season. If the pairing works the way the Mavericks believe it can, it may ease pressure on both players and give the team a better chance to surprise the league in Dusty Mays first season. [Read more 🡒]