The Athletic NBA Daily — “Can the Mavs surprise in the West?”
October 1, 2025 | Hosts: Dave DuFour & Christian Clark
Episode Overview
This episode spotlights the Dallas Mavericks as part of The Athletic’s NBA season preview series. Dallas enters a pivotal new era after the departure of Luka Doncic, the arrival of rookie Cooper Flagg, and a series of bold offseason moves. Host Dave DuFour and Mavericks beat writer Christian Clark dissect whether the new-look Mavs can be a surprise contender in a loaded Western Conference, exploring roster construction, key questions, dynamics around stars like Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, and scenarios for the season ahead.
Offseason Recap & Key Moves
[01:37 – 03:18]
- Christian Clark outlines a turbulent year for the Mavs beginning with Luka Doncic’s blockbuster trade to the Lakers, the failed playoff push, and Kyrie Irving’s season-ending injury.
- Remarkable lottery luck (1.8% odds) landed Dallas the No. 1 pick, used on forward Cooper Flagg — a potential franchise cornerstone.
- Salary cap maneuvers: Kyrie Irving took less money, allowing the team to sign D’Angelo Russell (MLE). Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington received multi-year extensions.
- “They’re talented, they’re deep. I don’t know how well all the pieces fit together, but they’re certainly an interesting team.” — Christian Clark [02:52]
Projecting the Mavericks’ Starting Five
[03:18 – 05:02]
- Four likely starters: D’Angelo Russell (PG, until Kyrie returns), Cooper Flagg (rookie, must-start), Anthony Davis (PF), and either Dereck Lively or Daniel Gafford (C).
- The fifth spot is contested between P.J. Washington (defense/size) and Klay Thompson (shooting/veteran presence).
- Christian’s view:
- “If it was up to me... I just don’t think there’s enough shooting here. Like, I feel like I need Klay Thompson in there.” — Christian Clark [04:38]
- But sees a world where they opt for size: “You know, effectively, Cooper Flagg at the two... that’s like a monster size.” [04:52]
Most Impactful Players & Candidates for a Leap
[05:02 – 06:58]
- Key “swing players” for a step forward:
- Max Christie (young guard from LA, flashed late-season promise).
- D’Angelo Russell: coming off a rough year, seen as motivated and capable of returning to a high level (“This is kind of a prove-it contract... if this year goes well, that can matter a lot for the next like five years of D’Angelo Russell’s career.” — Christian Clark [05:58])
- Anthony Davis: still enigmatic due to last season’s injuries (only 9 games as a Mav) but expected to play a central role. Dallas plans to use him at PF (his preferred position) alongside true centers, which could be a “huge story.”
- “He’s getting what he wants in Dallas... How is that going to look offensively with AD playing the majority of his minutes at the four?” — Christian Clark [08:21]
Ball Handling, Playmaking & the “Point Cooper Flagg” Experiment
[10:24 – 13:14]
- Host notes Dallas’ need for steady ball-handling, especially until Kyrie returns; DLo and Dante Exum will have roles, but creativity is needed.
- Coach Jason Kidd has publicly contemplated “Point Flagg” (Cooper Flagg as primary ballhandler). Summer League featured Flagg handling the ball, echoing Kidd’s approach with Giannis early in Milwaukee.
- “He’s really brought up this idea of, you know, point Cooper Flagg... at summer league, they actually did it. So I think that could be real.” — Christian Clark [11:18]
- Flagg’s playmaking is a strength, but Christian wonders about the overall offensive fit without an elite creator until Kyrie returns:
- “Is the offense going to look sludgy? ... They’re just going to have to grind out a lot of wins. I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of easy wins for the Dallas Mavericks, even though they are super talented.” — Christian Clark [12:53]
Trade Flexibility & Roster Structure
[13:14 – 14:53]
- Dallas may seek more guard depth/offensive creation midseason, especially if ball-handling proves insufficient. A consolidation trade (dealing from a crowded frontcourt) remains possible.
- Daniel Gafford is “trade eligible” and on a good contract, which could be leveraged if needed to rebalance the roster.
- “They didn’t, but I still think it’s possible one happens midseason. I’m leaving the door open.” — Christian Clark [14:35]
The Big Swing Factors: Injuries, Defense & Ceiling/Floor
[14:53 – 17:36]
- Anthony Davis’ health is the single biggest factor:
- “How many games is Anthony Davis going to play this year? ... That’s like the number one thing that, you know, if you’re telling me how the season goes for Dallas, how many games is AD gonna play in?” — Christian Clark [16:10]
- Cooper Flagg’s rookie impact is a huge wild card; a leap from Klay Thompson or others could be game-changing.
- Defensively, Dallas could go from league’s bottom third to formidable due to sheer size and rim protection if lineup fits hold.
- “I really think that their defensive capability just from being massive could actually be a super huge factor in being able to get them a few more wins.” — Host [17:36]
Realistic Expectations & Outlook
[16:47 – 19:00]
- Vegas “over/unders” peg Dallas in the play-in mix (low top-six, high lower bracket), and that’s where Christian Clark envisions them.
- “I think they’re one of those play-in tournament teams... they could be going into that and Kyrie looks awesome... team capable of going deep in the playoffs, or... they peter out. But I see them in a play-in tournament range.” — Christian Clark [16:54]
- The host closes on Dallas’ volatility:
- “A few teams around the association could have super high ceilings and then also very low floors and I feel like Dallas definitely is one of those teams.” [19:00]
Final Notes & Wildcards to Watch
[18:37 – 19:00]
- Open questions: Who commands the offense in “non-DLo” minutes if they go all-in on “Point Flagg”?
- Possible deeper rotation pieces: Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard (on a two-way deal).
- “I’m just curious to see what they do in kind of those non-DLo minutes and if they really do just, like, smash the Cooper Flagg at point guard button.” — Christian Clark [18:55]
Notable Quotes
- “They’re talented, they’re deep. I don’t know how well all the pieces fit together, but they’re certainly an interesting team.” — Christian Clark [02:52]
- “If it was up to me... I just don’t think there’s enough shooting here. Like, I feel like I need Klay Thompson in there.” — Christian Clark [04:38]
- “Is the offense going to look sludgy?... They’re just going to have to grind out a lot of wins.” — Christian Clark [12:53]
- “How many games is Anthony Davis going to play this year? ... That’s like the number one thing...” — Christian Clark [16:10]
- “A few teams ... could have super high ceilings and then also very low floors and I feel like Dallas definitely is one of those teams.” — Host [19:00]
Bottom Line:
The Dallas Mavericks are full of intrigue and uncertainty: a new franchise face (Cooper Flagg), an injury-prone but elite star (Anthony Davis), and a roster with size, defense, and high-variance talent. If the pieces fit, health cooperates, and young players step up, they could surprise the West. But questions around ball-handling, offensive cohesion, and Davis’ availability leave their true ceiling/floor as one of the league’s great unknowns for 2025-26.