Mavericks' dream starting five just took shape after heaven-sent offseason

The trajectory of Dallas Mavericks history changed on May 12 when they won the NBA Draft Lottery, and they completed the vision by drafting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick.

The Flagg pick truly changed everything, as the future wasn't looking bright following the Luka Doncic trade, and now they're back in the driver's seat to fight for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Along with the Flagg pick, Dallas has also made several other outstanding moves, including signing Kyrie Irving to a new three-year deal, signing D'Angelo Russell to a two-year contract, extending Daniel Gafford, and signing Ryan Nembhard to a two-way deal, and Nico Harrison truly couldn't have had a better offseason with all things considered.

Predicting the Mavericks' starting five to begin 2025-26 season

Heading into next season, Dallas will be without Irving for the first few months, as he is still recovering from a torn ACL, but their starting five is still bound to be strong.

Point guard: D'Angelo Russell

One of Dallas' top priorities this summer was finding a starting point guard to run the show while Irving is out, and that's why they signed Russell. He was the best guard they could have signed with the money they had to spend, and his strong ties with multiple members of the organization and on the active roster made this signing a no-brainer.

Russell and Dallas had strong mutual interest, and he is eager to get started with the Mavericks. He'll bring the Mavericks the playmaking and shooting they need out of that spot, and Mavs fans can expect him to start for the entirety of Irving's absence.

Shooting guard: Klay Thompson

The biggest starting lineup question heading into next season will be who will be the starter between Klay Thompson and P.J. Washington, and due to the fact that the Mavs desperately need 3-point shooting around their double-big lineups, Thompson seems like the smarter and safer option.

Last season for Dallas, Thompson averaged 14.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 39.1 percent from downtown, and while Thompson's fit may look a lot different without Doncic in town, they are going to need his shooting to begin the season.

Thompson will be on a mission to take his game to another level with Dallas this season, as one of the main reasons he signed with them was to pursue his fifth ring.

Small forward: Cooper Flagg

Flagg's dominant Summer League performance showed just how deadly he can be at the NBA level, but his 3-point shooting is one area that needs some improvement. He shot 3-14 from downtown over two games, and while he still has plenty of room to grow in this area, and he'll likely be just fine once he has NBA spacing and doesn't have to create his own shot every time down the floor.

Flagg potentially not being a knockdown 3-point shooter right away is a major reason we rolled with Thompson in the starting unit rather than Washington, and Flagg is bound to be a major difference-maker right away.

He will immediately become one of the best defenders on the team, and his advanced skillset on both ends of the floor is bound to make him a staple in the starting lineup for years to come.

Power forward: Anthony Davis

It's widely known that Anthony Davis likes playing power forward much more than he likes to play center, and he will get his wish next season as the Mavericks still have Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II holding down the paint behind him.

Davis remains one of the best bigs in the NBA, and while he will always be known for being the player whom they traded Doncic for, there is much more to his game than that.

He is one of the top two-way players in the NBA, and he'll have the chance to show Mavs fans how dominant he can truly be this season after only playing in nine games last season.

Center: Dereck Lively II

Dallas can't go wrong with Lively II or Gafford as their starting center, but with the way the roster is constructed, it makes much more sense to roll out Lively II. He guards better in space, is a better passer, and is the center of the future since he is only 21 years old.

Like Davis, Lively II also dealt with some serious injuries last season, and he'll be in a great spot to have a bounce-back season.

Playing alongside Flagg should benefit Lively II, as Flagg loves throwing lobs, and Dallas badly needs a fully healthy season from Lively II as he has only played in 91 games over his first two seasons.