Hanifan’s offseason outlook: Evaluating the Dallas Mavericks’ 2026 offseason

The calendar has turned to September. You know what that means, right?! Our offseason outlook series is back for the third-straight year!

Hot Hot Hoops senior writer Matt Hanifan will provide his take on the offseasons of all 30 teams for the next 30 days! We will be going in alphabetical order, beginning with the Eastern Conference. Although, today, we begin with the West. Let’s look at the Dallas Mavericks’ summer!

Previous offseason outlooks:

Evaluating the Dallas Mavericks’ 2026 offseason:

Additions: Zaccharie Risacher, Marcus Sasser, Dwight Powell

Subtractions: Klay Thompson, Ryan Nembhard, Dwight Powell, Marvin Bagley III, Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson, Brandon Williams

Re-signed: Naji Marshall

Draft: Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9 overall), Sergio De Larrea (No. 25), Tobi Lawal (No. 48), Tarik Boberovic (No. 56)

Hanifan’s outlook: The Mavericks began their summer by reshaping their front office after firing general manager Nico Harrison midseason. They brought in former longtime Toronto Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as the head of their basketball operations, as well as former ESPN employee Mike Schmitz, who was also a Blazers executive for three seasons.

Ujiri parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd, and made a splash by hiring reigning Michigan national champion Dusty May days before the draft. Well, Dallas followed suit by drafting Michigan big man Morez Johnson Jr., who has a relentless motor. It also drafted international prospect Sergio De Larrea, arguably the best passer in the class, as well as hyperathletic wing Tobi Lawal.

In an effort to continue to build around the Mavericks’ top draft choice in 2025, Cooper Flagg, they also bought low on Zaccharie Risacher to help stretch the floor, as well as acquire guard Marcus Sasser and Santi Aldama. However, the Mavericks did part ways with two critical pieces from last year’s team: Nembhard (dealt in Risacher deal) and sharpshooter Klay Thompson, who was bought out before immediately signing with the Heat.

Johnson is a phenomenal get, and should make Flagg’s life a lot easier, especially defensively. He was one of my favorite players in last year’s cycle. The Mavericks also get Kyrie Irving back, which should also help buoy Dallas’ ceiling offensively. But I still do have longstanding questions about the current viability of this roster, and how Ujiri and Co. plan to build off this, especially without any of their own first-round picks until 2031.