The Dallas Mavericks have, in a way, become the laughingstock of the NBA. It’s a sharp fall from grace for a team that reached the NBA Finals last year, and what’s worse is that it’s a completely self-inflicted wound. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison is persona non grata in Dallas for trading away beloved superstar Luka Doncic, and everything that’s happened to his team since has made it seem like the Mavs are now cursed.
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Anthony Davis, the main return for Luka, didn’t make it through one full game before being injured. Kyrie Irving, whom the team was counting on to shoulder a bigger load in Luka’s absence, went down with a torn ACL earlier this month, an injury that will keep him out for the rest of this season and part of the next. Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively have missed tons of time as well.
While nearly everyone in the basketball world believed the Lakers smashed the Mavs in that trade, there were some analysts who zagged and projected Dallas to be a championship contender with Davis anchoring them in the middle. For a half, they looked smart, as he was an absolute machine in his first appearance for the team.
AD has a long injury history, so when he went down with a strained adductor muscle in the third quarter of his first game, it wasn’t a surprise to most. In fact, it confirmed why this was such a bad trade in the first place.
Despite the setback, Carlos Boozer still believes the Mavs can contend next year, and he said as much today on Get Up. “I actually like this team when they’re completely healthy. Kyrie was having an outstanding season. I think [Daniel] Gafford made a huge step.”
Boozer also rattled off the abilities of Dereck Lively, Davis, and PJ Washington as supporting evidence to his thesis.
Sorry Carlos Boozer, but anyone talking themselves into the Mavs right now is delusional
The NBA is more competitive than ever before, especially in the West. Boozer likes the Mavs next year “if they’re healthy.” Guess what? People like driving Lamborghinis too but not after they’ve been totaled in a crash. The Mavs are a mess right now, and there’s no reason to believe next year will be much better.
There are injury risks up and down Jason Kidd’s roster. Davis has never been able to stay healthy for long stretches. Kyrie has a player option and is expected back next year, but it would be foolish to expect anything from him in his first year back from a torn ACL. That kind of injury takes time to recover from, especially with his kind of game.
Klay Thompson knows all about that, as he’s battled back from more injuries than anyone. He’s the one Mav who remains standing for next year, but given his history, would anyone be surprised if he missed some time in 2025-2026?
“Next year, they’re going to be a contender if they’re healthy.”
@MisterCBooz on the Dallas Mavericks pic.twitter.com/bljOjiZWQ9
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 25, 2025
Even if the Mavs are miraculously blessed with full health next year, and even if they aren’t actually cursed (don’t be so sure about that), they still face an uphill battle to be relevant in the West. Oklahoma City isn’t going anywhere. The Rockets and Grizzlies are young and only going to get better. LeBron and Luka will have an entire offseason to jell, and the Lakers will probably have a shiny new center to go with them.
The Nuggets still have Nikola Jokic, and he’s gotten the best of Davis in their many previous matchups. Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs will be shifting into win-now mode with De’Aaron Fox and whoever else they add this offseason. The Warriors have looked great with Jimmy Butler. Even the Clippers and Kings are feisty.
It’s hard to imagine a path where the Mavericks are better than a play-in team, and that’s if everyone is healthy. I applaud Boozer for his optimism, but sometimes you have to tell it like it is. The Mavs are in trouble, and they did this to themselves.
