Dirk Nowitzki is the Dallas Mavericks’ most iconic player, and he continues to support the franchise beyond his retirement. He loves Luka Donsic, but Nowicki is excited for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
After a massive trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Dallas Mavericks were in an extraordinary position. They’re good enough to be a title contender for their roster, but some people still overlook them.
Franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki will not be excited about his old team. The Mavericks are in a good place, with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving leading the way. They have a good roster around them with rookie Cooper Flags who could be superstars in the future.
With the 2025-26 season underway, the Mavericks will not be in perfect health. Irving is still recovering from a torn ACL, but he should come back someday in the season, which can drive them into the title fight.
D’Angelo Russell should do a great job of carrying out team attacks as a de facto starting point guard, even if fans hate signing. Jason Kidd is head coach, so he’ll want to set up his team for success. Nowitzki trusts Kidd and his team to do well.
Flag is also an exciting outlook for Mavericks. Because he has a great skill set. He has all the tools to become a star, just as Blake Griffin called him a perfect player. It’s a high praise and could work well for the Mavericks.
“If you look at the front court, you’ll see talented players. The backcourt has two or three players in every position, especially when Kylie returns,” Nowicki said on the DLSS Mavs podcast.
“I saw him on social media and he’s already taken some shots so he knows he’s going to take care of his body and do everything he can.
Nowitzki has a talented team, which means he has scored a lot of points for this team. They have solid depth. This is impressive after the early Donkic debacle in 2025. General Manager Nico Harrison has a defensive core wish as this Maverick team looks formidable.
They don’t have a generation of Donsic anymore, but they recovered well with other players. Davis is not leaning forward. It’s not leaning forward considering he’s also a superstar capable of winning an MVP award. The only problem the Mavericks have is the history of the injuries, especially the cornerstones of this team, Davis and Irving.
As Flag is still a rookie, it’s unlikely he will become an MVP level player in his first year. However, the future is bright as he takes over as a team superstar in the long term. The 2025-26 season is already set to be a big year for the team, but it’s even more promising with the long-term potential of FLAGG’s current roster.