You’d be hard-pressed to find a fanbase that had a worse 2025 than Dallas Mavericks fans.
At the start of this calendar year, the Dallas Mavericks were off the back of their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011. They had a beloved superstar in Luka Doncic, a worthy sidekick in Kyrie Irving, and a balanced, young roster ready to compete for years to come.
Fast forward a year, and the franchise is in disarray. Doncic is gone, and their once wide-open championship window is closing by the game. Dallas’ decision-making this year was so horrific that General Manager Nico Harrison was fired just 11 games into the season.
Here, we break down all of the moves the Mavericks made in 2025, which saw the trajectory of the organization turn on its head forever.
February 2025- Luka Doncic traded to the Los Angeles Lakers
The beginning of the end for the Mavericks didn’t come quietly. In a move that shocked the NBA, Dallas traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what has since been dubbed the worst trade in the league’s history.
The Mavericks traded away their franchise leader, who had just led them to the NBA Finals, bringing the fury of Dallas down upon Harrison.
Prove Skip Bayless wrong about Luka Doncic! 🧐
The full trade included Dallas trading Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers in return for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2025 2nd-round pick, and a 2029 1st-round pick.
In one fell swoop, the franchise changed forever, and no amount of lottery luck could save them.
Drafting Cooper Flagg number one in the NBA Draft
Most fans would say Dallas didn’t deserve their lottery luck, but Harrison’s job was temporarily saved when the team fell into the number one pick of the NBA draft.
The Mavericks took Cooper Flagg, a generational talent, first overall in a no-brainer decision. Flagg’s rookie season so far has proved that they have a future superstar on their hands.
Is Cooper Flagg the best 18-year-old rookie since LeBron James?
Cooper Flagg breaks LeBron James' record for most points as an 18-year-old!
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But they also made an underrated move during the draft process which has given the Mavericks more firepower off the bench.
Dallas signed Ryan Nemhard to a two-way contract, and he’s more than proven his worth to the team at the start of the 2025-26 season. The Mavericks will hope that he can be a useful teammate to Flagg for many years to come.
They also picked up Miles Kelly and Moussa Cissé, who are both suiting up in the G-League.
Extending key players in the offseason
Credit to the Mavericks, they worked hard this offseason to keep their key roleplayers in town to compete for a championship on the back end of Davis’ career.
The Mavericks focused on retaining their veteran core and adding backcourt depth while navigating significant salary cap constraints.
Irving, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford all signed extensions to keep them in Dallas for the foreseeable future, as the Mavericks looked to retain what’s left of their 2024 Finals roster.
Signing D’Angelo Russell added to their backcourt, as did re-signing Dante Exum. Meanwhile, Brandon Williams signed a multi-year contract after finishing his two-way deal.
With so many returning faces this offseason, it’s truly shocking how different Dallas looks and feels from the start of 2025.
Comparing the Dallas Mavericks roster at the start of 2025 to the end of the year
The 2025 year was the most turbulent year in Mavericks history. The roster underwent a total philosophical shift, moving away from Doncic to a frontcourt-heavy, defensive-minded unit led by Davis and Flagg.
They went from a backcourt of Doncic and Irving to Russell and Klay Thompson, as Doncic was traded and Irving is out with an injury.
While their ability in the backcourt has fallen off a cliff, the Mavs’ frontcourt situation now looks far more promising. Davis replaces Gafford at center, who now comes off the bench, Flagg is playing at power forward despite starting the season at point guard.
They end 2025 12-22 and 12th in the Western Conference, but their moves post-Doncic trade have set them up for a successful future. But all of that rests on Flagg’s young shoulders.
Join the debate; share your insight. Use the comment button on the bottom left to have your say