Dallas Mavericks: Dark Horse Candidate?

Wow, the Dallas Mavericks got lucky! After the Luka trade, it looked like they were done for. This year in the draft, they got a player who is touted as a "generational star" and the clear-cut first pick. The Mavericks were able to replace their old superstar with a 19-year-old phenom. Dallas is a veteran team now being led by the young Cooper Flagg. Nicco Harrison spots a player who could join the league. He also kept his star, Kyrie Irving, who helped reach the Finals. Plus, he has Anthony Davis, a top 15 player. With how stacked the West is, the Mavs could be one of the surprises this season.

"With the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg!" When they made that announcement, everyone was ecstatic. A new era has started after the shocking Luka Dončić trade. Scouts hyped up Cooper Flagg, the forward from Duke University, to be the next big thing. Flagg showed the ability to take defenders off the dribble to make a three, go to the hole, and shoot the mid-range. Cooper showed to be ready to make an immediate impact once the season starts. With confidence in his impact, they extended 2016 NBA Champion Kyrie Irving.

A key move for the Mavericks this offseason was extending Kyrie Irving. The nine-time All-Star is out due to an ACL injury, so he will be out for the next season. Nicco Harrison signed Kyrie to a team-friendly deal of three years for $119 million. Before his injury, he averaged 24.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. It was an All-Star caliber season, and the Mavs could have made the playoffs. This was a great deal for both sides, but Kyrie is rehabbing, and Dallas found a perfect player to hold down the fort.

D'Angelo Russell was a good addition to the Dallas Mavericks. The 29-year-old guard has found himself being a journeyman and now finds himself on a new team. D-Lo has experience playing with Anthony Davis, which is a plus, as his transition should be easy on this team. Russell is a good second ball handler who can create for himself and others. Russell will fit well on this team as Kyrie recovers from his injury. It will be interesting to see who the team stars are, D-Lo or Dante Exum.

The Mavs were able to secure defensive guard Dante Exum to a one-year deal. The veteran guard is known for his defense and for being a solid ball handler. Exum is a perfect hustle player who can be a help for Dallas. He will bring the energy needed night in and night out. For the past two years, Dante has been a solid role player, rebuilding his value. Not only was Dallas able to extend Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum, but they also kept Daniel Gafford.

Daniel Gofford got a deal that shocked me, as he got a 3-year, $60 million dollar deal. The Mavs have a strong front court. Cooper Flagg plays forward, and Anthony Davis wants to be a small forward. And with a returning Dereck Lively II, who looks to make a third-season jump. Dallas is very crowded, and the lineup for next season could be interesting.

Dereck Lively II is returning from injury, which saw him miss the postseason. He was great in the finals run, being a key factor in beating the Minnesota Timberwolves. Lively II's role for next season could be interesting, as he could look to get starting minutes. Dereck is a good off-ball player and could stretch the floor. The hope is that he can remain healthy and get a big contract. It will be interesting next season to watch a full Anthony Davis season and him together.

Due to last season's controversial trade, everyone forgot how incredible Anthony Davis is. The first pick in the 2011 draft made the All-Star team last season and was great on both ends of the court. The only concern with the big man is his lack of availability. One of the things Davis should be looking forward to is playing the four instead of the five. It is what he has been asking for the past few years on the Lakers. Now, he gets to play in the frontcourt with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. AD is one of the best defenders and could be an All-NBA caliber player who leads the Mavs to a deep run.

The Dallas Mavericks have great depth on this team. Klay Thompson, a future Hall of Famer and three-time NBA champion, will take on a smaller role. He can focus on making threes and being a solid defender. Klay can get hot anytime needed and be a good spark plug. Naji Marshall is a 3&D player, and fans love his energy and his impressive floaters. PJ Washington, who was huge in the deep run 2 years ago with his ability to hit threes and be a good defender. The Mavericks are a team that can make a deep run and be a surprise in the West next season.

The West is a gauntlet next season with the 2025 first pick, Cooper Flagg, leading the way. Anthony Davis will have a full season to get used to what Jason Kidd and the Mavericks want to install. With Kyrie Irving getting healthy, Dallas has put a good replacement in D-Lo until then. With Dereck Lively II coming back with full health. The Mavericks are deep enough to make a run and be one of the best teams out in the West.

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