Mavericks' most brutal threat next season could once again be themselves

There's no doubt that the Dallas Mavericks have had a successful offseason with the additions of D'Angelo Russell and Cooper Flagg, as well as a whole new coaching staff built around Jason Kidd. While the Mavericks could be in store for a special season, health has been one of Dallas' underlying factors that have kept them from achieving success over the last calendar year.

Since before trading Luka Doncic on February 1, the Mavericks have been dealing with a streak of bad luck when it comes to health and illness in the locker room. Not only did Dallas almost have to forfeit games due to not having enough players eligible to suit up, but the Mavericks also lost multiple key players to brutal injuries last season, including Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL in early March and Anthony Davis suffering an abductor strain in his debut game.

It goes without saying, but health is arguably the most important thing for the Mavericks heading into the regular season. Without Irving on the floor, the Mavericks will need multiple other players to step up in his absence, and while the Mavericks have a loaded nine-man rotation, one catastrophic injury could dictate the future direction of the team.

Mavericks can't afford to fall into the injury trap again

With Flagg now on the roster and poised to become the face of the franchise, the Mavericks are navigating a delicate timeline between an older roster built to win now and a younger superstar who could become the potential face of the NBA. There's no doubt that the Mavericks are going to do everything in their power to win games, which means that Flagg will take on a bigger role in Irving's absence, but the team must maintain its health if they have any aspirations of staying competitive.

Injuries are an unfortunate aspect of professional sports, but as fans found out last year, any team can be prone to having its season derailed by multiple injuries: Dallas is no different.

Heading into a critical year, the Mavericks must make sure they stay healthy. Injuries are bound to happen, but if Davis can play at least 75 percent of the regular season, it has been a proven formula for success from the teams he has played on in the past.

In addition to Davis needing to stay healthy, both Mavericks centers, Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, are going to be a critical part of Dallas' success on both ends of the floor. With both Lively II and Gafford, the Mavericks' paint defense crumbled against any team willing to put pressure on the basket.

While it's easier said than done, having a new training staff should help Dallas not only diagnose injuries before it's too late, but should also help players rehab off the floor at a healthy rate. One problem the Mavericks ran into last season was that they had an incompetent training staff that derailed the health of multiple players, including Lively II, which almost derailed his career had they not found out about a stress fracture in his foot at the last second.

Not only will having a new training staff help the Mavericks get players on the floor faster when injuries do happen, but understanding how to maintain the health of Davis and Irving will be critical to Dallas' success in the future.

The Mavericks expect Irving will return at some point this season, but have yet to put a date on his return, which should come off as a good sign to fans. Not rushing Irving back to the hardwood should be priority No. 1, even if the Mavericks do begin to struggle, and by doing this, it will ensure that Irving isn't coming back with any hesitation that he could potentially reinjure his knee.