A Dallas Mavericks Season Preview That Does Not Mention That One Guy’s Name

We’re not going to mention his name. Regardless of whether you are in the group that misses him still or is ready to move on, it’s a safe bet that you are tired of hearing and reading his name. We miss that guy, too, but we’ve spilled our fair share of online ink over him and want to see how difficult it will be to run a 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks season preview without mentioning his name. 

Besides, in case you are among the group that hasn’t paid much attention to the Mavericks since Feb 1, it’s worth noting that the team is in surprisingly good shape, against all odds. 

The big post-trade headline certainly belongs to Dallas drafting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall draft pick over the summer. If you listen to league pundits and insiders, Flagg has the tools to be one of those transcendent, franchise-changing draft picks, not unlike Shaquille O’Neal or LeBron James. Maybe that’s a high bar, but there’s a reason people are at least hoping for that, but we’re not going to put that reason’s name down here. 

Nope. He’s not on the team anymore, remember?

But it’s the cast surrounding Flagg that is the main reason it’s worth being excited about this season. At the risk of giving GM Nico Harrison any credit, we cautiously would like to offer: this is a more-than-solid roster full of all-star vets who know how to win year in, year out.  

The Byrds once beautifully sang, “To everything, turn, turn, turn,” and that especially applies to NBA basketball and the superstars wearing other jerseys now.  

Who Is On the Mavericks in 2025-26?

OK, now we’re ready to name all the names. Yes, Flagg is perhaps the shiny new toy star attraction here, but future Hall of Famers Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis (yes, that Anthony Davis) are A-list talents as well. Thompson and Davis are both well into their 30s, and each has a significant injury history, but both are healthy right now to start, which is a big deal since superstar Kyrie Irving will miss a large chunk of the season recovering from surgery. 

Beyond those big names, however, sit athletic big men Dereck Lively II, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford. All three were significant contributors to the 2024 team that reached the NBA Finals and all three are also starting the year healthy, for the most part.  Flagg isn’t the only new name on the roster expected to contribute. All-stat point guard D’Angelo Russell isn’t the impact player he may have been a few years ago, but he’s a significant enough addition to expect him to slide into the starting lineup sooner than later. 

What Do the Experts Say About the Mavericks’ Chances?

Let’s make this easy. Unlike the start of last season, no one is seriously giving the Mavericks much chance of being a legitimate title contender. Correct, we do not consider Stephen A. Smith to be serious.

The brains at ESPN have some moderate hopes for Dallas this year, noting “the Mavs can say that they have the biggest, most athletic and deepest frontcourt in the league,” while listing them as the 13th overall best team, but with only a 50% chance to make the playoffs. That’s better than The Athletic, where Dallas sits at No. 21 in its pre-season power rankings. They, too, obviously, do not expect the Mavs to reach the playoffs, but their experts do expect Flagg to run away with the Rookie of the Year award, so there’s that. 

Want to risk a few bucks and maybe win big? Las Vegas sportsbooks are also not terribly high on the Mavericks’ title chances this year, with most offering odds somewhere between +2,500 and +3,500, representing low but not impossible odds.  

Key 2025-26 Dallas Mavericks Games

• Oct. 22, San Antonio Spurs at Dallas (Opening night vs. in-state rival)
• Oct. 27, Oklahoma City Thunder at Dallas (First game against defending NBA champion)
• Nov. 12, Phoenix Suns at Dallas (First game against conference rival)
• Nov. 28, Dallas at Los Angeles Lakers (Game against the former Mav we’re not naming)
• Dec. 25, Dallas at Golden State Warriors (Christmas Day)
• Jan. 24, Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas (Return of player that shall not be named)
• Feb. 3, Boston Celtics at Dallas (Rematch of 2024 NBA Finals)
• April 12, Chicago Bulls at Dallas (Final game of the regular season)

How Can I Watch the Dallas Mavericks on TV?

As has become the norm with just about any pro team in any sport, the answer to the television question is: it’s complicated. The Mavericks, however, are one of the teams that have made efforts to make it less complicated than it was just a couple of seasons ago. Local viewers with access to KFAA 29 on their cable package or streaming provider can watch the regional broadcasts, which make up the vast majority of games, for no additional charge. Should you not have that sweet KFAA access, you can at least grab a convenient, not-too-terribly-prived MavsTV subscription for $125 for the season. 

But as you might expect, those options will only get you most of the games, not all. Be sure to have ESPN and ABC, as well as subscriptions to Amazon Prime and NBC Peacock if you simply can not risk the chance of missing a Mavs game in 2025-26.