While Doncic was the clear leader of that Finals team and the most recognizable name missing, another player who has since left could soon find success with a Western Conference rival. After winning the Western Conference in 2024, the Mavericks dealt Tim Hardaway Jr. to Detroit after he had spent over five seasons in Dallas.

Cooper Flagg didn't shy away from self-criticism after a rocky NBA summer league debut, calling the performance "not up to my standard" following the Dallas Mavericks' 87-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flagg's first points as a pro came on a slam dunk with less than five minutes to go in the first quarter. The Mavericks guard finished with 10 points, six rebounds and eight assists in his debut. He played 32 minutes, making 5 of 21 field goals, missing all five of his three-point attempts.

How did Cooper Flagg do in his NBA Summer League debut? Check out his stats from the Mavericks-Lakers contest.

NBA insider Marc Stein has revealed that the Mavericks have found his replacement, hiring Geoff Puls, who is the former head strength and conditioning coach of the Chicago Bulls. He did leave the Bulls about a year ago to be a self-employed performance consultant in Wisconsin, but he has plenty of high-level experience and comes highly regarded.

In a video clip where Russell can be seen talking to Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, the former lottery pick is already setting the mindset for next season, as he'll enter with something to prove to the rest of the league. "I like me with a chip on my shoulder," Russell told Harrison.

The Dallas Mavericks have hired Popeye Jones and Phil Handy to join Head Coach Jason Kidd's coaching staff next season.

The Dallas Mavericks' offseason has been defined by selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft. However, they haven't done much outside