Dallas Mavericks season preview: Opening schedule, win projection and everything to know for 2026-27

The 2026-27 NBA season is here! Check out our team previews, including power rankings, best- and worst-case scenarios, and fantasy advice.

East:Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

West:Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • LA Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

Record: 26-56 (12th in the West, did not make the playoffs)

Draft:Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9), Sergio De Larrea (No. 25), Tobi Lawal (No. 48), Vsevolod Ishchenko (No. 56)

Signings:Moussa Cisse (re-signed for 2 years, $4.7 million), Naji Marshall (3-year, $52.2 million extension)

Trade acquisitions:Santi Aldama (from Grizzlies), Zaccharie Risacher (from Hawks)

Key departures:Marvin Bagley III (signed with Nuggets), AJ Johnson (traded to Grizzlies), Khris Middleton (traded to Wizards), Andrew Nembhard (traded to Hawks)

Current roster

What's exciting: Cooper Flagg averaged 25.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists over his final 26 full games as a rookie — he looked like one of the 15ish best players in the league. Now if Kyrie returns and looks like Kyrie, Dallas can explore more of Flagg's versatility. One play, he'll run the pick-and-roll. Next, he'll cut inside while Kyrie creates. Irving has already thrived alongside jumbo playmakers in LeBron James and Luka Dončić, and Flagg is very much built in the same mold. Having help could reveal how much more Flagg can do.

What's concerning: Dallas ranked 26th in 3-point percentage and 27th in 3-point attempts last season, and Flagg made just 29.5% of his 3s as a rookie. Aldama and Max Christie offer some shooting, but the Mavericks need more players who can space the floor. That way driving lanes are optimized for Kyrie and Cooper. — Kevin O'Connor 

Preseason Power Rankings: How all 30 teams stack up ahead of 2026-27

Daniel Gafford will be a sleeper big; Santi Aldama had knee surgery, Dereck Lively II's still shelved (foot, not running), and Morez Johnson Jr. (lower leg) just joined them. Gafford's role grew by default and he started a game in Macao. I'm excited to see Kyrie Irving back, 19 months post-ACL. — Dan Titus

Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Basketball league for the 2026-27 NBA season

Opening week: 10/21 at Rockets, 10/23 at Pacers, 10/24 vs. Spurs

Complete schedule

34.5 — win total

+8000 to win division

+20000 to win NBA Finals

Best case: Play-In Tournament

I'm generally a believer in the defense. Flagg should get better and could push for All-Star consideration this year. Get enough games out of Irving (and Lively), win enough against switch-heavy gameplans, and it's not hard to map out a pathway to the play-in picture.

Worst case: Bottom of the West

This would be some combination of the offense being flattened out, the (transition) defense being dinged in light of the shaky offense, and health concerns with Irving and Lively. I could obviously be wrong when actual games are played, but it feels like any sort of extended absence from Irving specifically would wreck this team. — Nekias Duncan

Read the full Southwest Division preview