Hanifan's Offseason Outlook: Evaluating the Dallas Mavericks' 2025 offseason

For our second annual offseason outlook series, Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We have already completed the Eastern Conference, so we will proceed in alphabetical order with the West before capping it all off with the Miami Heat. Today, we will be evaluating the Dallas Mavericks’ offseason.

Past Previews:

Sept. 1: Atlanta Hawks
Sept. 2: Boston Ce l tics
Sept. 3: Brooklyn Nets
Sept. 4: Charlotte Hornets
Sept. 5: Chicago Bulls
Sept. 6: Cleveland Cavaliers
Sept. 7: Detroit Pistons
Sept. 8: Indiana Pacers
Sept. 9: Milwaukee Bucks
Sept. 10: New York Knicks
Sept. 11: Orlando Magic
Sept. 12: Philadelphia 76ers
Sept. 13: Toronto Raptors
Sept. 14: Washington Wizards

Evaluating the Dallas Mavericks’ 2025 offseason:

Additions: D’Angelo Russell

Subtractions: Spencer Dinwiddie, Olivier Maxence-Prosper, Kai Jones (free agent), Kessler Edwards

Re-signed: Daniel Gafford, Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Dante Exum

Draft: Cooper Flagg (No. 1 overall)

Hanifan’s outlook: While general manager Nico Harrison and the Dallas Mavericks committed a Cardinal Sin last February by inexplicably trading superstar Luka Doncic, they somehow lucked into the No. 1 overall pick and won the #CaptureTheFlagg sweepstakes.

That was their biggest storyline of the summer. Flagg adds to an already-loaded frontcourt, headlined by Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II. When healthy, they could be one of the most dynamic, dominant frontcourts in the sport. Dallas will be without Kyrie Irving for the season after he tore his ACL late last season. Flagg — as well as newly-signed D’Angelo Russell — will assume those ball-handling responsibilities.

There will be a lot of eyes on Flagg in his rookie season. He turned 18-years-old in December and was the best player in college basketball last season. Flagg is an incredibly gifted scorer, decision-maker, finisher and defender who will help jumpstart this new era … even though Dallas should still be reprimanded for trading Doncic.

Harrison still needs to do more to add around Flagg — and doesn’t necessarily have the resources to do it, either, assuming they aren’t going to trade Washington, Lively, Gafford or Davis over the next 12-24 months.