The Dallas Mavericks shocked the world when they shipped Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Nico Harrison cited being in “win-now” mode, but since this trade, the Mavericks have been cursed with significant injuries to Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. The team’s “curse” ended when the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery with 1.7% odds and were able to select Duke’s promising prospect Cooper Flagg.

But is this season’s window an opening for the Dallas Mavericks to get back to the NBA Finals?

The Dallas Mavericks were in the NBA Finals last year and lost to the Boston Celtics. This charge was led by Luka Doncic, and Nico Harrison traded his star player away, citing Doncic as a defensive liability, and Nico claimed his weight was a concern. While all this might just be Nico trying to explain to an irate fan base why he traded away the team’s 25-year-old megastar, he did acquire Anthony Davis, who when healthy, is one of the best defensive players in the NBA.

Nico Harrison double-downed that during these tumultuous six months, he has constructed a roster that prioritizes defense and is set up to win a NBA Championship and compete now.

We have to look at the current landscape of the NBA. The Boston Celtics beat the Mavericks in last year’s Finals, but have began deconstructing from within, sending off Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday while Jayson Tatum recovers from his torn Achilles. The Indiana Pacers, who were in the Finals this year, surprised everyone by making the NBA Finals as a four-seed, but their star Tyrese Haliburton has also torn his Achilles. And for the Oklahoma City Thunder, they have the best chance of the four to make it back to the NBA Finals with reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and an established young core, but is the young talent on this team disciplined enough to make it to back-to-back NBA Finals?

Outside of these teams, there are other promising contenders who have concerns in their own right:

• Lakers: Can this team be more than just LeBron and Luka?
• Rockets: How will KD impact this youth’s chemistry?
• Nuggets: Who else can step up to help Nikola Jokic?
• Timberwolves: How will they overcome the WCF hump?
• Warriors: Is Curry, Butler, and Draymond a sustainable trio at their age?
• Knicks: With the team constructed, what do they need to do to get them over the hump?
• Cavaliers: Is there enough stability at the head coach position to translate to playoff success?

So for these teams, we have a handful of 8 teams who could make a leap and win the NBA Finals. I’m sure many were surprised to see the Thunder and Pacers running the NBA Finals this year. So for the Mavericks, who have pieces, it’s not far-fetched to think they can make a run with what’s on paper to get back to the NBA Finals.

Luka Doncic is a huge loss, but we have to evaluate what’s in the building.

Barring anything unforeseen, the Mavericks will start the season with Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis available. Both veterans have championship pedigrees, playing with two of the best players of our generation, Stephen Curry and LeBron James. Klay, at 35 years old, still shoots the ball from deep at a high clip, making 39.1% of his shots from three last year. Davis, at 32 years old, averaged a double-double in a limited sample size with the Mavericks last year (9 games) and averaged 24.7 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 2.2 BPG in the entirety of the 2024-25 season, including his 42 games with the Lakers.

Davis and Thompson must lead the Mavericks into whatever season they wish to have, so they must remain healthy and available. Their health is even more paramount because of Kyrie Irving’s injury.

Kyrie Irving tore his ACL this past season and people anticipate he could be available in January 2026. Irving just declined his $43 million player option this week to re-sign with the team on a 3-year, $119 million deal. Irving took slightly less money to provide a small relief for the team’s cap situation, while committing to stay in Dallas for the time being. For Irving to commit to this Luka-less Mavericks is big for morale, even with their well-documented friendship.

When Irving is on the floor, his impact is significant. Irving played 50 games for the Mavericks last year and averaged 24.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, and shot 40% from 3-point range. If Irving returned in January or February of next year, the Mavericks would just have to stay afloat to get into the postseason and let Kyrie Irving be the mid-season addition that propelled this team into a postseason push.

Outside of their big three, the Mavericks also have PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, Daniel Gafford, and Spencer Dinwiddie, all who averaged double-digit scoring when playing for the Mavericks last season.

You add this mix to the number one overall pick, Cooper Flagg.

Flagg took the nation by storm at Duke University last year, averaging 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.4 BPG, 1.4 SPG, on 48.1% shooting and 38.5% from three. Flagg handled every ounce of hype with humility, making him a coveted player and human being in any locker room.

Flagg is unselfish when playing basketball. Even with all the national media giving him attention, he helped the likes of Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, Sion James, and Tyrese Proctor thrive this year at Duke, all of whom were selected in this past week’s NBA Draft. Flagg will have no problem stepping in with the Mavericks and elevating the play of veterans, role players, and teammates alike.

Flagg can do just about anything. He’s not the strongest outside shooter, but his shooting improved as he turned 18 at Duke this year. Flagg’s effort and intensity made him effective in every aspect of the game, whether it be scoring, rebounding, playmaking, or defensively.

Flagg will instantly insert himself into the starting small forward position. And when Kyrie Irving comes back, it’ll be Irving, Thompson, Flagg, Davis, and Dereck Lively II as your starting five. When healthy, that combines scoring at all three levels with defense. As great as it would be to see Luka Doncic play with Cooper Flagg, Mavericks fans should be excited if this starting lineup remains healthy.

It is unfair to put tremendous pressure on Cooper Flagg to save the city and the franchise, even with the amount of talent around him. Cooper Flagg can’t be Luka Doncic; he can only be himself. The Mavericks might not win the NBA Finals next year or the next, but they should be in the mix and competing if they are healthy and clicking on all cylinders. Outside of Doncic, Flagg gives them the best opportunity to do that.

The Mavericks likely won’t have much pull in free agency with how Nico Harrison treated Luka Doncic on his exit, so they will definitely have to cross their fingers on this lineup Nico has built right now.

But for trading away your best player, this is the best scenario Mavericks fans can have in the post-Doncic era.