The Dallas Mavericks franchise enters the 2025‑26 NBA season at a crossroads: somehow both underrated and overrated, depending on whom you ask. It’s easy to see how they earn either label, and the tension between those views defines their narrative heading into the new campaign.
At one level, the Mavericks feel overrated. They remain haunted by the mid‑season trade of Luka Dončić to the Lakers in February 2025, a bold move that shocked fans and analysts alike. Dončić had been the cornerstone of the franchise—an All‑NBA talent under contract for a potential $345 million supermax deal—but concerns about conditioning and injuries led management to make the split Dallas Hoops Journal+10The Washington Post+10The Smoking Cuban+10. Trading him for Anthony Davis and Max Christie seemed like a short‑term gambit hoping to salvage a title window, but injuries destroyed that path almost immediately. Davis was hurt, Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear, and Dallas limped to a losing 39‑43 record and a play‑in exit Hoops Rumors.
Critics like SB Nation’s Ricky O’Donnell argue that post‑Doncic Dallas is, in fact, overrated: they were a middling team even before Irving’s injury, and trading away your best asset left them short on identity SIYardbarker. Analysts placed Dallas around 14th in early power rankings despite draft lottery luck SI+1totalapexsports.com+1.
The injuries weren’t limited to their stars. The Mavericks used 47 different starting lineups and ranked top five in missed games league‑wide—instability that translated into inconsistency on the court espn.com. Even with marquee names like Davis, Irving (when healthy), and Klay Thompson, the team chemistry and continuity simply never materialized. Add in management’s precarious handling of the roster—including cap issues and the risk of moving core pieces—and it’s understandable why many see them as overhyped.
Yet there is a compelling case that the Mavericks are underrated heading into 2025‑26. First, their lottery win and selection of Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick provides a massive injection of hope. Flagg is widely regarded as a generational talent, one who could reshape the franchise’s future from Day One. ESPN draft analysts project him as Rookie of the Year—and rightly so, given how much immediate opportunity he figures to get espn.com+6espn.com+6Talksport+6.
Financially and roster‑wise, Kyrie Irving chose to remain in Dallas. Despite a torn ACL expected to sideline him for at least half the season, he opted into a new three‑year, $119 million deal averaging about $40 million per year—not cheap, but a vote of confidence from a star committed to the cause the-sun.com+1New York Post+1. Owner Mark Cuban has downplayed worries about his return timeline, suggesting Irving likely won’t miss a “significant portion” of the season The Times of India. If accurate, that points toward a midseason boost that few teams can match.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis’s arrival offers defensive and rebounding leadership at both ends. Although he played only nine games in Dallas last year due to injuries, he averaged nearly 20 points and 10 boards then and is now good to go after eye surgery New York Post. The Mavericks also extended Daniel Gafford on a three‑year deal, solidifying frontcourt depth that could pair effectively with Dereck Lively II—a developing young center projected to grow into a key two‑big lineup partner cadenaser.com+3Dallas Hoops Journal+3aixx.ai+3.
On defense and positional flexibility alone, the interior looks drastically improved. Add P.J. Washington, who quietly averaged over 16 points and nearly 8 rebounds and shot above 41 percent from three during the season’s final stretch, and Dallas may boast more balance than most anticipate Dallas Hoops JournalHoops Rumors.
Management’s strategy and future planning also tilt toward optimism. Despite the turbulence of last year’s trades, they retained the No. 1 pick and appear committed to sticking with Flagg and the existing core for continuity rather than trading the pick for a veteran star like Kevin Durant or even LeBron James, despite trade rumors Talksport. This measured approach gives the sense of a franchise resetting—one that can keep its championship window open without sacrificing hope for long‑term growth.
Moreover, Dallas enters the season with healthy cap flexibility in the sense that they reached the luxury tax and apron lines. That status limits splashy free‑agent moves, but opens uses of taxpayer mid‑level exceptions to sign needed backcourt help while Irving recovers. Targets like D’Angelo Russell, Dennis Schröder, Chris Paul or Malcolm Brogdon fit that mold the-sun.comespn.comthirdapron.com. Indeed, reports indicate Russell has already been signed to serve as a capable lead guard in Kyrie’s absence The Washington Post.
In the court of public opinion, Reddit fandom reflects the split. Fans argue realism: that the team lacks a proven system and remains dangerously composed of flawed veterans. But others counter that once Irving returns, Flagg settles in, and Davis and Lively settle the interior, the Mavericks could ascend the West hierarchy faster than expected. The tension feels real: they’re underrated because of continuing undervaluation of Flagg’s upside and the internal coherence developing around Davis, Irving, Thompson, Washington, and Gafford—not to mention the excitement of youth meeting experience.
Projected outlooks from insiders mirror that uncertainty. Some see Dallas as a Fringe Playoff team or Play‑In hopeful leaning toward the bottom half of the West. Others believe this is a team with just enough weapons to punch above its ranking—especially if early season losses stack up and then Irving’s return shifts momentum mid‑year. That’s what makes them both overrated (if expectations seem too high) and underrated (if their upside is ignored) simultaneously.
2125‑word management style remains controversial, but if the Mavericks navigate injuries, cultivate Lively’s development, and ride rookie energy, the sum could be greater than its parts. If those pieces don’t click or more injuries arise, expectations could crater just as quickly.
Ultimately, whether Dallas is overrated or underrated depends on what you believe: that their postseason collapse was a product of bad luck and injuries, or evidence of deeper structural flaws; and that Cooper Flagg represents transformative hope, or untested potential. The truth almost certainly resides in the middle: a Mavericks team with star power, high stakes, and enormous variance.
Overrated if you assume Irving will spend half a season recovering, that Davis will again succumb to injuries, and that Flagg’s ceiling is vague. Underrated if you see Irving returning stronger, Lively and Gafford anchoring the paint, Washington hitting threes, and the No. 1 pick delivering impact straight away.
In the end, Dallas is positioned for an intriguing season either way: they can surprise upward or disappoint. But few teams carry such compelling storylines in modern NBA—and that alone makes them worthy of attention. Whether the Mavericks exceed expectations or fall short, the debate over their billing only underscores how much is in play in 2025‑26: legacy, youth, star power, and a split between promise and proof.
