Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Dallas Mavericks Hype Crash – Preseason Overrating Exposed by Irving’s ACL Tear and Doncic’s Trade

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks, prior the 2025-26 season, had huge expectations by acquiring 2025’s No.1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg. With Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, and Derek Lively, a trip to the NBA Finals was the bare minimum expectation. However, in a reality vs fantasy contest, reality is always different and at most times, it’s bad. The Mavericks are now off to a very slow start with a 3-7 record in their first 10 games. They are 14th in the Western Conference and are only a game ahead of the Pelicans from the last spot.

So what went wrong for the Dallas Mavericks, and why are at the bottom of the Western Conference Standings despite all the talent they possess? Let’s find out.

Luka Doncic Trade Has Hurt the Dallas Mavericks

Earlier in 2025, the Dallas Mavericks traded away Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers. This trade shocked the world as nobody saw it coming. While the sample size is small so far, for these two players with their new teams, one thing is clear; this trade was most likely a mistake.

Yes, Anthony Davis is an all-world basketball talent and he is one of the best players in the league at both ends of the court, but he just cannot stay healthy, despite what he does in the offseason. Davis’ injury history has been constant throughout his career and Davis has missed many games already, including 2024-25 season. The Mavericks traded Luka Doncic away, according to their GM Nico Harrison, for better defense and “to win a championship,” as Harrison put it. However, the Mavs haven’t been healthy and the what if scenarios, are still just that.

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Meanwhile, Luka Doncic with the L.A. Lakers, are thriving. They are 7-3 for the season and sit at 4th spot in the West. And they are doing all this without LeBron James, who still hasn’t made his season debut so far. So who actually won the trade? We’ll let you decide.

Mavericks Off to a Bad Start – Can They Turn it Around?

The name of the game is injuries. Can the Mavs get all their players back and turn their season around? Kyrie Irving is still out with an ACL injury and hasn’t played this season yet, with his return date not confirmed. He is expected to be out at least till late December 2025 or sometime around early 2026. Anthony Davis hasn’t played a game yet in November but may come back soon. Their rookie Cooper Flagg still needs time to develop, and Klay Thompson has been struggling shooting the basketball.

If the Mavericks get all their players back, we may see some things change. For now, they lack consistent shooting, playmaking from their guard spots, or an isolation scorer who can create his own shots. Cooper Flagg, their most consistent player from the list, is still a rookie and lacks the ability to create his own shots for now.

Fun fact: Luka Doncic has more blocks than the Dallas Mavericks have wins this season.

Defense wins championships. pic.twitter.com/BgAAkbFpdv
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 7, 2025

From early preseason hype to a very bad start to their season, things have not gone their way. If the playoffs started today, the Mavs wouldn’t even be in the Play-In tournament, and Nico Harrison’s decision to trade Luka Doncic, has not made sense yet.

Anthony Davis

Cooper Flagg

Dallas Mavericks

Kyrie Irving

Luka Doncic

NBA

Eric Divakaran

nba

nfl

mma

I cover the National Football League and things cannot get better than that. I always dreamed to play football or basketball professionally since I’m built like a Running Back. But now that I can’t, since I’m technically in the “Unc” age, I thought why not pick a career in sports industry? So here I am, doing what I love, and hoping that the Commanders win the Super Bowl. I give love to players when it’s due, but can be critical about their performances at the same time. Enough about me, now let my articles do all the talking.