Season predictions for the 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks

2025-26 Season Predictions for the Dallas Mavericks

Trying to predict where the Mavericks will finish this season is nearly impossible, and it really all depends on the return of Kyrie Irving. If he's back by late December or early January, they could work their way out of the Play-In. If he's not back until around the All-Star Break, they could be fighting for that 9th or 10th spot again.

Until Irving is back, this is a roster full of misfit toys. Most sportsbooks have the Mavericks winning between 40 and 42 games. If I were a betting man, I'd take the under, finishing around 38-44 and 9th or 10th in the West. I tend to think Irving is coming back a little later than expected, and the offense is going to be rough until he returns.

As much as Nico Harrison wants to think that defense wins championships, offense wins regular-season games first. And this offense looks rough on paper; the three-point shooting is likely going to be near the bottom of the NBA, they don't have reliable ball-handlers, and they have too many bigs. This isn't like the Houston Rockets, who are doing a similar thing, because they have one of the greatest scorers in NBA history (Kevin Durant) and a big man who can really space the floor and move the ball (Alperen Sengun).

If Irving returns in early January, they should finish above .500 and be that team no one wants to play in the playoffs. But that's also relying on Anthony Davis to play the majority of games, something he hasn't done often in his career.

Cooper Flagg will be a lot of fun to watch as the ultimate two-way wing, and he's the favorite to take home Rookie of the Year for a reason. The jump from Dereck Lively II, if he can stay healthy, will also be fun to watch, because he looked incredible in the preseason.

Anthony Davis is also getting his wish of mostly playing power forward this season, something that I just don't think is realistic in this age of basketball. If he can even be a 33.3% shooter from deep, they can make it work, but he's only done that once in his career: 2017-18. Relying on him to be a good shooter AND play more than 60 games? Likely impossible.

Maybe I'm still just being too negative, still stung from the decision to trade away Luka Doncic. Sub him in for Anthony Davis on the roster, and it's a nearly perfect fit across the board. Davis just leaves a really clunky fit. This team is probably a year away from serious contention. So, in the words of Mark Cuban, for that reason, I'm out.