Dallas Mavericks predicted to have disappointing 2025-26 season

Despite trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in an effort to win now, the Dallas Mavericks unsurprisingly missed the playoffs last season, mostly due to injuries to key players. Based on ESPN's latest poll, they could be in for a similar result next season as well.

ESPN composed a panel of writers, analysts, and editors, polling them about multiple Cooper Flagg subjects, starting with what they expect from the Mavericks this season. 73.1% of the people polled believe the Mavericks will be in the Play-In Tournament again, 23.1% believe they'll get the 5 or 6 seed, and 3.8% have them missing the postseason entirely.

Jul 12, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) looks on against the San Antonio Spurs in the second quarter of their game at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images | Candice Ward-Imagn Images

"The biggest factor in the Mavs' playoff positioning, or lack thereof, could be the impact made by another former No. 1 pick and future Hall of Famer," ESPN's Tim MacMahon wrote. "When will Kyrie Irving return from his torn left ACL? If it's this season, can he return to All-Star form for a team that needs his offensive creation?"

Cooper Flagg is in a rare situation for a first overall pick, flanked by Hall of Famers and All-Stars, but it's still a weird roster with not a lot of shooting or playmaking until Irving returns. Flagg will be asked to do more on-ball creation than he did at Duke, and whether that'll work for a team with hopes of contention will arguably be the biggest question of the NBA season.

Happy would approve🏌️@Cooper_Flagg // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/qc5Bfxo3ns
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) August 7, 2025

Expectations for Mavericks Upcoming Season

Under normal circumstances, and considering the roster without context, surviving until Kyrie Irving returns and making the Play-In Tournament would be a realistic goal for the season. But these aren't normal circumstances.

Nico Harrison placed an incredible amount of pressure on the team and himself when he made the Doncic-Davis swap, as Irving and Davis are aging players. He gave himself a three-year window, in his own words, and two of those years could be erased due to Kyrie Irving's injury. He was already out for the postseason last year, and he may not return in time to make Dallas a true contender next season.

"The future to me is 3-4 years from now. The future 10 years from now ... they probably bury me and J by then, or we bury ourselves." - Nico Harrison pic.twitter.com/mjyFpC444P
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) February 2, 2025

That sets them up for an incredibly pressurized 2026-27 season. Irving and Davis have player options after that season and could opt out and leave, or if they start to decline, opt in and hold the Mavs hostage without moves to make with their larger salaries (Davis would make nearly $63 million in the 2027-28 season at 34 years old).

Missing the playoffs again this season, whether that's outright or getting into the Play-In Tournament and losing, would have to be a failure given Nico Harrison's championship expectations, even if that's a somewhat likely result.

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