Three questions about Dallas Mavericks ahead of 2024-25 season

The Dallas Mavericks made a surprising run to the NBA Finals last season. Now, as the Mavericks try to build on their conference championship, they've made some changes with the roster. Here are three questions about the team for next season.

1. Will the starting lineup have enough defense with Klay Thompson?

When Klay Thompson joined the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal this summer, it was with the expectation that he’d start alongside Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. While Thompson is an all-time great three-point shooter, his defense now is a far cry from his all-defensive team prime.
Last season, the Mavericks started to excel once defense-first Derrick Jones, Jr. became a fixture in the starting lineup. Jones’ unreliable outside shooting hurt Dallas in the NBA Finals, but his defense was a huge reason why they got there.

After Thompson’s unhappiness when the Warriors moved him to the bench briefly last season, will Dallas be able to make him a reserve if the starting lineup is getting torched on defense?

2. Can Luka Doncic stop complaining?

The ugliest part of Doncic’s otherwise beautiful game is his propensity to complain. He’ll yell at officials for calling fouls, for not calling fouls or for awarding an out-of-bounds play to the other team. The Mavericks are often forced to play four-on-five defensively, giving up fast breaks because Doncic is at the other end of the court complaining.

His inability to swallow his frustration was evident in Game 3 of the Finals. Doncic committed four fouls in the final quarter, at least two of them on terrible decisions. He fouled out with four minutes to go in Boston’s victory, then made the “money” sign with his fingers toward the ref.

Doncic and his team are too good for him to be derailing possessions with immature outbursts. Getting back to the Finals will be difficult enough without Doncic always trying to battle the three referees in addition to the five guys on the other team. Is this the year he finally grows up?

3. How long will Kyrie Irving remain happy in Dallas?

Kyrie Irving has been a model citizen and valued teammate in his year-and-a-half with the Mavericks, after a series of controversies during his time with the Brooklyn Nets. But Irving didn’t run into trouble in his first season with the Nets, nor his first season with his previous team, the Boston Celtics. Irving was with the Cleveland Cavaliers for six seasons before demanding a trade in 2017.

So while Irving seems thrilled to be in Big D for now, historically, that doesn’t guarantee long-term happiness. Irving and Doncic make the Mavericks a contender, but relying on stable behavior from Uncle Drew has proven to be a gamble.