Mavericks torched in new power rankings — and they should be thrilled about it

The Dallas Mavericks are on the cusp of discovering a new era in the team's history as they welcome the No. 1 overall pick, Cooper Flagg, with open arms. The hope is that Flagg can not only reverse what the Mavericks were facing after trading away Luka Doncic in early February, but that he can also carry the weight of an NBA-level offense in just his rookie season.

While the expectation is for Flagg to take the ropes and be a day one impact player almost instantly, his play throughout the two Summer League games he appeared in proved to fans he has what it takes to be a potentially great player. Although to many fans, giving a rookie the keys to your offense might sound like a bad idea, the Mavericks appear to be fully on board with making the former Duke superstar uncomfortable.

While the Mavericks appear to be fully committed to the Flagg experiment, Dallas has other problems, including the lack of ball handlers on their roster, with Kyrie Irving likely sidelined for the majority of next season. With many questions persisting as to how the Dallas Mavericks will look next season, The Athletic recently released an offseason power rankings, where the Mavericks were ranked too low, considering the pressing concerns they are facing.

Dallas given perfect bulletin board material ahead of next season

In a recent article, Law Murray from The Athletic ranked the NBA's 30 teams from best to worst. Murray slotted the Mavericks in at 19th, which is almost laughable considering the additions the Mavericks have made.

Dallas is without a doubt one of the most improved rosters from last season, as they arguably added one of the best names in free agency with D'Angelo Russell, as well as adding one of the hyped rookie prospects since Victor Wembanyama with Flagg. While the Mavericks will have their uphill battle with injuries likely being a factor next season, and the availability of Irving, the Mavericks landing at 19 has gotten Mavericks fans angry.

Murray's reasoning for listing the Mavericks so low was the lack of guards on the roster and the fact that Anthony Davis and Dereck Lively II have yet to prove they can play a fully healthy season in a Mavs uniform.

While these issues are without a doubt pressing in their own right, the Mavericks also made huge roster upgrades after only losing Spencer Dinwiddie, who had an up-and-down season. In addition to losing Dinwiddie, both Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams could end up taking a significant role off the bench when playmaking and handling the offense.

The Mavericks will, without a doubt, have a tough time proving to the league that they can be a top contender in the West, especially considering how loaded the Western Conference is this coming season, but they have the perfect tools to make an improbable run.

If Flagg is the player every fan expects him to be, he will immediately make an impact on day one despite having growing pains, which will likely happen early in the season. In addition to Flagg, the Mavericks have a surrounding cast of former champions who know what it takes to stay built for the long run throughout a grueling regular season.