Jun 12, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Former NBA player Dirk Nowitzki before game three of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Dirk Nowitzki provides foolproof plan for Mavericks owners to win back fans

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 2:15 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks wrecked their fanbase when they traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February, with a lot of people protesting the trade or giving up their fandom completely, and no one could blame them for it. They were stabbed in the back and blindsided by general manager Nico Harrison.

Dirk Nowitzki is here to provide a solution, though, saving the franchise as he always has.

“At this point, it’s just keep going, keep putting a good product out there,” Nowitzki said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan. “The trade is what it is. It happens. You want to show that you have the Mavs, the organization, and the fans in your mind and at heart, and you want to put the best product out there that you believe is going to win and compete for years to come.”

“The owner has to show that he’s willing to spend and then make this a great team for the next decade to come,” Nowitzki continued. “So that’s all there really is to it.”

The fanbase was at least bought back in by winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, giving them Cooper Flagg. Season tickets immediately saw a boom and sponsorships came flooding in, but some of the fanbase is still wary. It's understandable to be, as Kyrie Irving will miss part of the season recovering from his ACL tear.

Will the 2025-26 Mavs Win Enough to Win Back Fans?

The team is confident that they can contend for a championship, even while Irving recovers from his injury, but there are a few reasons to be concerned. First is how reliant they'll be on Anthony Davis to be the first option without a proven second option. It's one thing when he has LeBron James next to him, but when it's a rookie like Cooper Flagg, Davis will be asked to do a lot, and he hasn't always been the healthiest player.

The reliance on Cooper Flagg as a ball-handler is another thing to be at least wary about. He was better as a cutter and playing without the ball at Duke than he was with, so adjusting to that won't be easy. They'll also need D'Angelo Russell to bounce back from a career-worst season.

Dallas' roster just feels unbalanced. If they start slowly, it wouldn't be shocking at all to see them move on and balance the roster a little.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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