Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis reacts during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies. Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Why Dallas Mavericks can’t escape the middle of power rankings

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are going into the season as one of the hardest teams to read in the league.

The Mavs could be a top-tier contender in the West or they could be a lottery team. The range they have is very vast. USA Today contributor Lorenzo Reyes conducted a recent power rankings where the Mavs came in at No. 18.

"It’s a shame Kyrie Irving is expected to miss the entire season, because Dallas’ offense would be fireworks with him, Anthony Davis and No. 1 overall rookie Cooper Flagg," Reyes wrote.

Mavs in middle of the pack

The teams ranking below the Mavs are the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Philadelphia 76ers, Toronto Raptors, Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets.

Dallas could be higher if Irving were going to be healthy for a whole season, so that may be why the team is a bit lower on the list than expected.

That being said, this whole season comes down to how well Flagg adapts to life in the NBA. If he can be a 20-point scorer every night, the Mavs could be in business. If he spends time on the sidelines with an injury, the team could be in trouble.

It's a tricky dilemma the Mavs have because they are close to being one of the top teams in the league. However, they have someone they can build around and stripping down the veterans of the team could give the Mavs a better direction.

Ultimately, they are going to ride the middle with what they have hoping that the upside can rise to the top. If that ends up being the case, the Mavs could be a serious contender in the West for the 2025-26 campaign.

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

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