Projecting The Mavericks' Starting Lineup After Klay Thompson's Exit

The Klay Thompson era in Dallas is officially over, as it was announced on Friday afternoon that he had reached a buyout agreement with the Mavericks and plans to sign with the Miami Heat upon clearing waivers.

It was far from the tenure that anyone expected when Thompson signed with the Mavericks in the 2024 offseason, but he's off to his next destination, and the Mavericks are back to their full 15-man roster for the start of the season.

While anything can happen between now and late October, when the regular season will start, the Mavericks' roster seems set.

With Klay Thompson being waived, here is a look at the projected starting lineup and depth chart (if everyone is healthy), with the starters being bolded.

Mar 27, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) walks up the court during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

2026-27 Dallas Mavericks Projected Starting Lineup/Depth Chart

PG: Kyrie Irving, Marcus Sasser, Sergio De Larrea
SG: Max Christie, Zaccharie Risacher, Tarik Biberovic, John Poulakidas (two-way)
SF: Cooper Flagg, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, Jett Howard (two-way)
PF: P.J. Washington, Santi Aldama, Morez Johnson Jr., Tobi Lawal (two-way)
C: Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Moussa Cisse

Really, the only two starting spots that are nailed down are Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg, and that's if Irving is 100% healthy, like he seems to be.

The depth behind Irving is still a little concerning. As fun as De Larrea was in the Summer League, his jump to the NBA may not be smooth. Marcus Sasser has yet to prove he can be a consistent rotation player in the NBA.

Shooting guard could be a fun competition between Christie, Risacher, and Biberovic. Biberovic is probably the best shooter of the three, Risacher has the highest upside, and Christie was the starter for most of last season.

Cooper Flagg and Naji Marshall will soak up the majority of the minutes on the wing. If Caleb Martin is still playing as he did last year, hopefully he isn't playing much, if at all.

Power forward is another hotly contested position, but P.J. Washington is the best player of the bunch right now, and his three-point shooting and defensive versatility make him more malleable.

Jun 25, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Morez Johnson Jr, the Dallas Mavericks first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft holds his jersey during an introductory press conference at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

9th overall pick Morez Johnson should still get plenty of playing time, especially in small-ball lineups. The same can be said for Santi Aldama.

Dereck Lively II's health is a complete unknown, as the Mavericks have been very quiet about his recovery. If he's healthy for the start of the season, he should be the starter. If not, Daniel Gafford is more than serviceable.

Moussa Cisse gives them an upside swing behind them, but Aldama and Johnson will soak up some center minutes in certain situations.

This is a deep team, but they probably don't have the high-end talent needed to make a serious push in the Western Conference. De Larrea may not play a ton initially as he develops, but the Mavs should still have 12-13 players they can feel good about giving playing time to, depending on how quickly Biberovic adapts to the NBA and if Cisse builds on his flashes from last year.

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