The 19 biggest Mavericks questions heading into the 2025-26 season

The Dallas Mavericks, two months away from training camp, which begins Sept. 30 in Vancouver, Canada, are one of the league’s most curious teams. There are questions about the roster, the rotations, the franchise, the narratives; there are curiosities about the team’s unique dual center experiment and more. It’s quite true there’s little we can do to answer them all right now. But, in these next two months, I’ll try to answer as many of the questions that I have for the coming season.

Some answers, or attempted answers, will be brief. Others deserve more time and effort. There are curiosities that I’ve already tackled, and we’ll revisit and update those answers as best we can. In a few instances, the answers may arrive in the next couple months, saving us from having to solve what was probably unsolvable ourselves. But, even with the most research possible, there’s going to be a lot of educated guesses. I ended up with 19 questions split into seven categories. I may add more by the time we finish; I won’t write about every one; I don’t plan to go in any particular order. But, if you ever want to see one of them answered sooner than later, feel free to ask in the Diehard-exclusive Discord.

The first question, whether Dereck Lively II will shoot 3s next season, has already been tackled. I’ll update this post with links, for anyone who finds themselves back on this page, as we attempt to answer these questions in the next couple months.

What’s up with the team’s injuries?

• Will Anthony Davis be ready for opening night?
• When will Kyrie Irving come back from injury?
• Does Caleb Martin bounce back from injury?

What will the offense look like?

• How will the Mavericks’ offense be structured next season?
• How many 3s will the Mavericks shoot?
• Which recent offense will the Mavericks be most comparable to?

What will the defense look like?

• Which Mavericks will defend star guards?
• Which Mavericks will most often be the roaming helper?
• Which recent defense will the Mavericks be most comparable to?

How will these players be used next season?

• Will Dereck Lively II shoot 3s next season?
• Will Cooper Flagg have preferred scoring spots?
• How much will Anthony Davis play center?

What will the rotation and the roster look like next season?

• Who will be the fifth starter?
• How many players will be the team’s rotation when healthy?
• Who will be the final two-way player, and will any of them play?

Which moves or transactions are likeliest to come next?

• When will it make sense for Dallas to make a consolidation trade?
• What will the Dallas training staff look like next season?
• Will P.J. Washington be extended when eligible in late August?

And what I see as next season’s biggest question:

• What does Patrick Dumont expect from next season?