Dallas Mavericks Preview 2026/27: Cooper Flagg Aims to Make a Leap with Kyrie Irving's Return

The Dallas Mavericks begin the 2026/27 season with the goal of putting behind a disappointing year and building a team capable of competing for a spot in the play-in of the Western Conference. The franchise finished the previous campaign with a record of 26-56, in twelfth place in its conference and far from the playoffs. Now, much of their aspirations depend on two key names: Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Key players for Spanish basketball include Sergio de Larrea and Santi Aldama.

The young forward concluded his first season in the NBA showing signs of extraordinary potential. In his last 26 complete games, he averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists—figures that reflect his ability to impact practically all facets of the game. Dallas needs him to maintain this progression, but they also require Irving's return to help share responsibilities and avoid putting all the offensive creation on Flagg.

The project presents reasons for optimism, although it is still far from offering guarantees. Doubts about the physical condition of several key pieces and the team's limitations from the three-point line will be two of the major obstacles that the Texas franchise must resolve.

Cooper Flagg, ready to become a star

The main reason to believe in the Mavericks is Cooper Flagg's development. The young talent already demonstrated during his debut season that he can handle a significant volume of shots, create plays for his teammates, and compete against established NBA players.

His numbers during the final stretch of the previous campaign suggest that Dallas may have one of the most important players for its long-term project. The next step is to maintain that production consistently and improve some aspects of his game, especially his outside shooting.

Flagg converted 29.5% of his three-pointers as a rookie, a statistic that reflects one of the areas where he needs to progress. His ability to attack the rim and exploit space can be decisive, but improving his perimeter shooting would force opposing defenses to respect his shot more and allow him better conditions to penetrate.

The return of Kyrie Irving can also transform Flagg's role. Flagg will not have to monopolize the ball during all possessions and can alternate between ball-handling, off-ball penetrations, and pick-and-roll actions.

This versatility represents one of Dallas's major opportunities. If both can complement each other, the Mavericks will be able to develop an attack with two players capable of creating advantages on their own, reading defensive help, and finding their teammates when rival defenses focus on stopping them.

Kyrie Irving, the return that can change the season

Kyrie Irving's availability will be one of the most important factors in determining Dallas's competitive ceiling. His ability to score from different positions, create his own shots, and orchestrate the offense provides the team with a dimension that proved difficult to replace during his absence.

The point guard faces the challenge of regaining his best form after an anterior cruciate ligament injury. His return can relieve Flagg of some creative responsibility and provide the Mavericks with a reliable alternative when their offenses get stuck.

The combination between both also opens interesting tactical possibilities. Irving can take control of the ball while Flagg exploits spaces with cuts to the basket, or they can interchange responsibilities to force defenses to constantly adapt.

The coaching staff has worked on player distribution and the creation of spaces when the two stars share the floor. The idea is to prevent one of them from being relegated to a secondary role and to leverage their ability to read the game even when they do not have the ball.

However, the recent injury history necessitates caution. Dallas needs Irving to accumulate games and find continuity because a prolonged absence from the point guard could severely limit the team's options to compete for the play-in.

The outside shooting, the unresolved issue

One of the most evident problems for the Mavericks during the 2025/26 season was their performance from the three-point line. Dallas finished in twenty-sixth place in the NBA in shooting percentage and in twenty-seventh in attempts, a combination that hindered generating space for their key players.

The franchise needs to improve both statistics if it wants to take full advantage of Flagg and Irving's potential. When defenses can close the paint and concentrate several players near the rim, penetrations lose effectiveness, and it becomes more challenging to find offensive advantages.

Santi Aldama and Max Christie emerge as two pieces that can help in this regard. The Spaniard provides resources to play spaced and contribute points from different positions, while Christie can help improve the balance between defense and outside shooting.

However, the roster still needs to demonstrate that it has enough reliable shooters. Flagg's development will also be important, but it would not be wise to depend solely on his individual improvement to solve a deficiency that affected the team throughout the previous season.

Dallas's goal must be to build a structure in which Irving and Flagg can attack with space, without rival defenses having the opportunity to stack players in the paint. Ball movement and off-ball cuts will be essential to achieve this.

Santi Aldama and the draft, bets to expand the roster

Dallas has also made moves to incorporate young talent and increase its options for the future. The arrival of Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies stands out for his ability to provide a combination of height, mobility, and outside shooting.

The Spaniard can help improve offensive spacing and provide an option in the interior positions. His availability, however, will be an important issue after undergoing knee surgery, so the Mavericks will need to evaluate his physical development before determining what impact he can have during the season.

The franchise also added Zaccharie Risacher from the Atlanta Hawks in a move that expands its options among perimeter players. His adaptation to the system and contributions on both sides of the court will be aspects to monitor.

In the draft, Dallas selected Morez Johnson Jr. with the number 9 pick, Sergio De Larrea with the 25, Tobi Lawal with the 48, and Vsevolod Ishchenko with the 56. The investment in several young players reflects the intention to deepen the roster and add pieces that can grow around Flagg.

However, Johnson Jr. has also suffered issues in the lower leg, while Dereck Lively II remains sidelined due to a foot injury. The accumulation of physical setbacks in the frontcourt makes the availability of the centers another major uncertainty for the team.

Daniel Gafford gains prominence in the paint

The situation of Lively II and Aldama increases the importance of Daniel Gafford, who may find more opportunities than initially expected. His ability to finish near the rim and provide physical presence in the paint makes him a particularly relevant piece while the team regains full strength.

Gafford will need to rise to a greater responsibility and help maintain the Mavericks' interior competitiveness. If he can provide continuity, Dallas will have an alternative to protect the rim and take advantage of the opportunities created by Irving and Flagg on the perimeter.

Lively's health can also prove decisive. His return would expand defensive options and allow the team to distribute minutes better among its big men. However, as long as he remains sidelined, the Mavericks will need to find solutions to avoid losing consistency in such a fundamental position.

Defense is precisely one of the reasons to believe that Dallas can compete for a play-in spot. If the team maintains a solid structure and prevents offensive problems from translating into too many transition opportunities for the opponent, they can stay in games even when they are not having their best shooting night.

The goal: approaching the play-in in the West

Dallas's expectations should be set at a midpoint between caution and optimism. Flagg's potential, Irving's experience, and the possibility of recovering important players allow for imagining an improvement over last season's 26 wins.

The best-case scenario involves a quick adaptation between their two main figures, an evolution in outside shooting, and a season where injuries do not decisively affect the team. Under those circumstances, the Mavericks could approach the play-in zone and compete for a spot in the playoffs.

The most complicated scenario would arise if Irving fails to maintain physical continuity, Lively remains unavailable, and perimeter limitations persist. In that case, Flagg would have to shoulder an excessive load, and Dallas might find itself back at the bottom of the Western Conference.

The season will begin on October 21 with a visit to the Houston Rockets. Afterward, the Mavericks will play on the road against the Indiana Pacers on the 23rd and host the San Antonio Spurs on the 24th. A demanding start for a team that needs to quickly find its identity and see how far it can go with its new pieces.

The priority is clear: facilitate Cooper Flagg's growth without rushing the timelines, recover Kyrie Irving in good condition, and build a more efficient offensive structure. Dallas still has many uncertainties to resolve, but the progression of its young star provides a foundation on which to begin rebuilding its aspirations.

Dallas Mavericks' moves in the market

Forecast: The Dallas Mavericks have potential to fight for the play-in if Cooper Flagg maintains his progression and Kyrie Irving returns to a competitive level. Improvement in outside shooting and the availability of their interior players will be decisive in determining whether the team can escape the lower zone of the West and once again aim for the playoffs.