At midnight tonight, the NBA calendar officially flips to the 2026-27 season.
What a bizarre 18 months it's been. Last year I started this thread talking about how the basketball gods had thrown Mavericks fans an unexpected life raft in the form of Cooper Flagg after what was arguably the most catastrophic self-inflicted wound in franchise history. The Luka trade had driven half the fanbase to therapy and the other half to eBay to list their season tickets.
Fast forward one year and...the adults are finally back in charge. Nico Harrison is gone after somehow turning a generational superstar into what will likely become one of the worst asset management case studies in NBA history. Anthony Davis is gone after spending more time on the injury report than the court. Jason Kidd is physically gone after being mentally absent for months.
For the first time since February of 2025, it actually feels like this franchise has hit the reset button. Enter Dusty May.
Hiring a first-time NBA coach is always a gamble, but I honestly love the swing. Coming off a national championship at Michigan, he's known for developing young players, modern offensive concepts, and building an actual culture; all things this franchise desperately needs. The fact that one of his first draft picks is Morez Johnson Jr., a player he already coached at Michigan, makes the transition even more intriguing.
Speaking of the roster...Cooper Flagg is now unquestionably the face of the franchise. The keys have officially been handed over, and honestly, that's exactly where they belong. Everything the Mavericks do from this point forward should revolve around maximizing his timeline.
The other fascinating storyline is the absurd financial flexibility. Depending on how everything shakes out, Dallas has roughly $46 million in cap space. That's enough to chase a star, absorb contracts from teams looking to cut salary, or completely reshape the roster around Flagg. Add in the very real possibility that Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford are all moved, and this could be one of the most active offseasons we've had in years.
Any rumor feels believable.
As for expectations...I have absolutely no idea what this roster is going to look like by October. And honestly? That's kind of exciting. A year ago our conversations centered around whether the franchise had permanently destroyed itself. This summer we're debating who gets added, what kind of system Dusty installs, and what Flagg's Year 2 leap might look like. That's a much healthier place to be.
This season probably won't be judged by wins alone. It'll be judged by direction.
Do the Mavericks finally establish an identity?
Does Flagg take the leap from future superstar to present superstar?
Can Dusty May prove college success translates to the NBA?
Can the front office capitalize on the kind of cap flexibility contenders dream about instead of lighting it on fire?
There are still plenty of questions. But for the first time in a long time, they feel like the fun kind. The terrorist regime of Nico and Kidd is officially over. The Cooper era officially begins.
Now let's see what this franchise actually wants to be when it grows up.
Let's get this started.
What a bizarre 18 months it's been. Last year I started this thread talking about how the basketball gods had thrown Mavericks fans an unexpected life raft in the form of Cooper Flagg after what was arguably the most catastrophic self-inflicted wound in franchise history. The Luka trade had driven half the fanbase to therapy and the other half to eBay to list their season tickets.
Fast forward one year and...the adults are finally back in charge. Nico Harrison is gone after somehow turning a generational superstar into what will likely become one of the worst asset management case studies in NBA history. Anthony Davis is gone after spending more time on the injury report than the court. Jason Kidd is physically gone after being mentally absent for months.
For the first time since February of 2025, it actually feels like this franchise has hit the reset button. Enter Dusty May.
Hiring a first-time NBA coach is always a gamble, but I honestly love the swing. Coming off a national championship at Michigan, he's known for developing young players, modern offensive concepts, and building an actual culture; all things this franchise desperately needs. The fact that one of his first draft picks is Morez Johnson Jr., a player he already coached at Michigan, makes the transition even more intriguing.
Speaking of the roster...Cooper Flagg is now unquestionably the face of the franchise. The keys have officially been handed over, and honestly, that's exactly where they belong. Everything the Mavericks do from this point forward should revolve around maximizing his timeline.
The other fascinating storyline is the absurd financial flexibility. Depending on how everything shakes out, Dallas has roughly $46 million in cap space. That's enough to chase a star, absorb contracts from teams looking to cut salary, or completely reshape the roster around Flagg. Add in the very real possibility that Klay Thompson, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford are all moved, and this could be one of the most active offseasons we've had in years.
Any rumor feels believable.
As for expectations...I have absolutely no idea what this roster is going to look like by October. And honestly? That's kind of exciting. A year ago our conversations centered around whether the franchise had permanently destroyed itself. This summer we're debating who gets added, what kind of system Dusty installs, and what Flagg's Year 2 leap might look like. That's a much healthier place to be.
This season probably won't be judged by wins alone. It'll be judged by direction.
Do the Mavericks finally establish an identity?
Does Flagg take the leap from future superstar to present superstar?
Can Dusty May prove college success translates to the NBA?
Can the front office capitalize on the kind of cap flexibility contenders dream about instead of lighting it on fire?
There are still plenty of questions. But for the first time in a long time, they feel like the fun kind. The terrorist regime of Nico and Kidd is officially over. The Cooper era officially begins.
Now let's see what this franchise actually wants to be when it grows up.
Let's get this started.
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