Dallas entered the offseason with major roster holes and limited flexibility. A few months later, the Mavericks have one of the NBA's highest-rated summers.
The Dallas Mavericks entered this offseason with a long to-do list and little room for error. A 26-win season exposed major holes in playmaking, shooting, and organizational direction, which forced Dallas to reshape almost everything around Cooper Flagg while operating with limited cap flexibility and draft capital.
Instead, the Mavericks overhauled the organization from top to bottom. They hired Masai Ujiri to lead basketball operations and Mike Schmitz as general manager and they also made one of the biggest surprises of the NBA coaching cycle by hiring Dusty May, who had just led Michigan to a national championship. From there, Dallas rebuilt the roster around Flagg with a new leadership group, a new coach and a new supporting cast and the franchise did far more than simply tweak the roster.
The national praise followed. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey gave Dallas an A+ for its offseason, which stands as one of the highest grades awarded to any team. For a franchise that finished with 26 wins, the grade reflects the full scope of the overhaul rather than a single headline move.
The foundation of the rebuild starts with youth. Flagg is 21 and coming off a Rookie of the Year season and the most effective strategy is to surround a young franchise player with teammates who match his timeline. Ujiri and Schmitz followed that approach and every major addition this summer is 25 or younger.
Santi Aldama, 25, is coming off a career season with Memphis in which he averaged 14.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting 35.3% from 3-point range before a knee injury ended his season. Zaccharie Risacher, 20, arrived after Dallas acquired the 2024 No. 1 overall pick and he averaged 12.6 points while shooting 35.5% from 3-point range as a rookie. The emergence of Jalen Johnson in Atlanta has minimized Risacher's development and is now given a fresh start in Dallas.
South Dallas native Marcus Sasser, 25, returns to his hometown after establishing himself as a defensive-minded combo guard who can provide scoring off the bench. Tarik Biberović adds another perimeter shooting option after making 41.9% of his 3-point attempts in the EuroLeague last season and 42.3% for his career.
Dallas also followed the same approach in the draft. Morez Johnson Jr. impressed during Summer League and projects as a physical frontcourt player, while Sergio de Larrea showed high-level playmaking ability, including a 14-assist performance in Las Vegas. Tobi Lawal earned a two-way contract and Vsevolod Ishchenko also produced several strong performances. The Mavericks added another wave of young talent around their franchise cornerstone.
The biggest addition, however, never left the roster. Kyrie Irving is back. Dallas struggled to create offense and make perimeter shots last season and much of that issue stemmed from Irving's absence. Flagg carried more offensive responsibility than any rookie should have and Irving’s return changes that dynamic. He creates offense, spaces the floor and reduces the pressure on Flagg on nearly every possession, effectively functioning as an additional star after Dallas spent most of last season without him.
There is still work to be done before opening night and offseason grades often change once the season begins. Bailey’s A+ reflects something larger than one trade or signing. Dallas followed a clear plan and the front office addressed the roster without sacrificing future assets. After spending last season searching for an identity, the Mavericks now enter the fall with a direction that finally aligns with the roster they are building around Flagg.
