Dirk Nowitzki says Dallas Mavericks’ success next season all ‘depends on’ one key factor that has cost them in the past

Dirk Nowitzki says Dallas Mavericks will succeed if players are healthy

Dirk Nowitzki spoke to the media ahead of an event as part of his tennis foundation. When discussing his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki was cautiously optimistic.

He noted that if the Mavericks’ key players – Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Dereck Lively II – can stay healthy, they can have a great season.

“I think they’re pretty stacked. I’ve been saying it the last few weeks. To me, it all depends on health. When’s Kyrie coming back? Is he gonna be 100 percent when he comes back? Is AD gonna stay healthy?

“We know Lively missed some action over the last few years. But if they stay healthy, I think that’s a very deep team…They can play multiple ways with Cooper’s versatility on the wing…

“To me, it’s all about health, and if they’re healthy, they can have a good year in the West… If they’re healthy, it’s gonna be a great season for them.”

Dallas Mavericks health is going to be a massive question mark

While Dirk Nowitzki did share his optimism, he is absolutely right in asking questions about the health of their star players.

Even though Kyrie Irving has been fairly healthy since arriving in Dallas in 2023, an ACL injury can be career-altering for many players, and he might struggle to keep his knee in check over the years.

As for Anthony Davis, his biggest rivalry in his career has been with the injury bug, as the former NBA champion has constantly struggled to stay healthy for large portions of a season.

But if somehow, both players are able to stay healthy, the Mavericks can compete with the best of the best. It’s unfortunate, however, that for the Mavericks, that is a huge ‘if.’