The Dallas Mavericks shifted the spotlight away from Luka Doncic by selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick. He joins a roster that already features Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively, giving Dallas a connective piece that makes the team feel even more complete.
Kyrie Irving’s absence has kept the Mavericks from showing their full hand. But the hype is still alive, with popular voices like Stephen A. Smith already labeling them championship favorites.
That momentum, though, faced its first hurdle in their season opener. After a 125-92 loss to Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, overreactions came fast, with Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey knowingly leaning into the moment to suggest the Mavericks might not be true championship contenders.
The hype had gotten out of control, and Wednesday was a pretty vivid reminder of the limitations of this roster without Luka Dončić (especially until Kyrie Irving returns).
There are simply too many big men and collaborative talents here. Anthony Davis and Kyrie have both been better as No. 2s than they were as leading men. Without Kyrie, the backcourt is so shallow that a rookie who’s been a forward for years, Cooper Flagg, started at the 1.
There’s probably enough size and defense here for the Mavs to typically be more competitive than they were during their 125-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, but the roster makes too little sense to seriously consider this a title contender.
By the end of 2025-26, we might even look back on this Dallas team as little more than a reminder of how much better Luka can make his teammates.
