ESPN's Kendrick Perkins says the Mavericks are the NBA's most slept-on team and could reach the postseason after a 26-56 year and a full overhaul.
DALLAS - ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said he would not be surprised to see the Dallas Mavericks in the postseason when next season ends, and that the one thing he is watching is how quickly the roster takes to a new coaching staff.
"I feel like the Mavs are the most slept-on team in the NBA," Perkins said. "We don't talk a lot about them...they got great depth. It's just how quick they gonna be able to adjust to their new head coach. But outside of that, they got the talent. I would not be surprised if we look up at the end of next season, and the Dallas Mavericks has some way found themselves in the postseason."
The Mavericks finished 26-56 and 12th in the Western Conference last season. They tied New Orleans in the standings and lost the tiebreaker on a 1-3 season series, which left them out of the play-in tournament.
Nico Harrison was fired on Nov. 11, 2025, with the team at 3-8. Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi ran the front office on an interim basis for close to six months after that. Masai Ujiri was named president of basketball operations and alternate governor on May 4, and Mike Schmitz came over from the Portland Trail Blazers as general manager days before the draft lottery. Jason Kidd and the Mavericks parted ways on May 19.
Mavericks coach Dusty May was hired on June 23, the day of the NBA Draft. May went 34-3 at Michigan and won the national championship in his second season with the program. Before Michigan he took Florida Atlantic to the Final Four in 2023. This is his first job in the NBA.
Cooper Flagg won Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals. Against Orlando on April 3 he scored 51 points, the most by a teenager in NBA history, and became the ninth rookie in league history to reach 50 in a game. Two days later he scored 45 against the Lakers.
Kyrie Irving has not played since March 3, 2025. He tore the ACL in his left knee against Sacramento, had reconstructive surgery later that month, and was shut down for the rest of last season in February. Irving is fully recovered from the tear and has been involved in the Mavericks' offseason planning. Irving is 34 and carries a $42.4 million player option. Over three seasons in Dallas, he has averaged 25.5 points and 5.1 assists.
At the draft, Dallas took Morez Johnson Jr. ninth overall and traded up in the late first round for Sergio De Larrea, sending the New York Knicks the 30th pick and two second-rounders. On July 8 the Mavericks completed a six-team trade that brought in Santi Aldama, Marcus Sasser, and the draft rights to Tarik Biberović, and sent Khris Middleton to Washington in a sign-and-trade. Marvin Bagley III signed with Denver. Moussa Cissé stayed after Dallas matched a two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet he signed with the Knicks.
Zaccharie Risacher arrived on July 19 in a three-team deal that sent Ryan Nembhard to Atlanta and Luguentz Dort from Oklahoma City to Atlanta, with three second-round picks going back to the Thunder. Risacher's $13.8 million salary for 2026-27 went into the $20.8 million trade exception Dallas created in the Anthony Davis trade in February.
Risacher was the first overall pick in 2024 and made the All-Rookie First Team. He averaged 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 67 games last season, down from 12.6 points as a rookie. Sasser shot 41.5% from three in an injury-shortened season in Detroit.
Dallas has 16 players on standard contracts and has to get to 15 by opening night. Dereck Lively II is coming off foot surgery and has not signed a rookie-scale extension.
FanDuel Sportsbook opened the Mavericks at 35.5 wins for 2026-27, 11th in the Western Conference. The number was 34.5 a week earlier. Last season's total was 41.5, and Dallas won 26. Oklahoma City opened at 60.5 and San Antonio at 59.5.
