ESPN's latest power rankings disrespect Mavericks' pivotal offseason

The Dallas Mavericks have been busy making roster moves this offseason, upgrading their depth chart through the NBA Draft and trades. It's a strong series of moves ESPN believes may not be enough to move the needle for a team that lost 56 games last season. The network's recent power rankings list of every NBA team post-offseason may upset many Mavericks fans, as they didn't give the team's improvements the respect they deserve.

They ranked Dallas near the bottom of the NBA at No. 23. This is a number fans saw a month ago when ESPN first released its first offseason ranking after the NBA Finals. They don't believe the team's moves this offseason are enough to make them a playoff team, and Mavs fans are scratching their heads, wondering what went wrong.

Team President Masai Ujiri wasted no time kick-starting the Cooper Flagg era; he added overseas players and 3-and-D forwards to help solve some of the roster woes. It's a series of moves ESPN believes were not enough to improve their standing in the West.

The team drafted Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio De Larrea, and Tobi Lawal. They traded for Marcus Sasser, Santi Aldama, Zaccharie Risacher, and Tarik Biberovic. The Mavericks clearly got better this offseason, but ESPN is acting like these moves don't improve their standing in the league at all.

Analysts and columnists who put forward the ranking may need to do a double take.

Dallas' early offseason moves are being undervalued

The Mavericks headed into the offseason with many concerns, including finding a backup point guard and adding shooters around Cooper Flagg. Masai Ujiri ensured Dallas addressed the key areas of weakness above by adding players from all angles to help the team take an immediate leap.

His biggest move of the offseason, though, was signing Dusty May to be the team's new coach. Soon after May was hired, the team drafted his former player, Morez Johnson Jr. The former Michigan star proved to be a huge boost for Dallas during the Summer League, as he showcased his talents on both sides of the court.

The new Michigan additions are hard to overlook. The team brought in a championship coach who excels at bringing out the best of his players. Yaxel Lendeborg is a prime example of how May helps strengthen his players' skills. His coaching will make a huge difference for Cooper Flagg, as the Mavs star looks to make major strides in his second season.

May's addition should also be good news for Johnson Jr. The Dallas rookie is a two-way forward unafraid to battle on both ends. His quickness and toughness should continue to improve under his former coach.

Kyrie Irving's return should help the Mavericks considerably

One major thing ESPN analysts missed was the return of Kyrie Irving. Dallas' All-Star guard should have a huge impact on the team's performance in Flagg's second season. He should be able to make his teammates around him better, and his presence alone will solve some of the Mavs' major weaknesses from a season ago.

Remember, the Mavericks were one of the worst shooting teams last season. They lacked someone who could create their own shot. Plus, Cooper Flagg had no one to dish the ball out whenever he was being double-teamed. Irving's return, though, will fix this. He was one of Dallas' top shooters the season he tore his ACL.

One other issue Irving will solve is the team's struggles in close games. Last season, Dallas lacked players with a clutch gene. No one was ready to close things out for the team when the game was on the line. Irving will instantly help fix this. He is someone unafraid to take and make big shots, as the Mavs' guard is willing to put the team on his back.

Mavericks' European additions will be pivotal next season

Another way Dallas upgraded their roster was the addition of several talented European players who should join the rotation right away. The team drafted Sergio De Larrea and traded for the rights to Tarik Biberovic to help solve some of their offensive struggles.

De Larrea showcased his skills during Summer League in Las Vegas. He is a premier passer and table-setter. His addition should also solve some of the Mavs' backup point guard issues from last season. Mavs fans should expect to see plenty of him once the season begins.

Dallas' other European addition, Biberovic, will be a huge boost for the team. His shooting will benefit a Mavericks team that needed to put more shooters around Cooper Flagg. It's a good thing the team was able to buy out his international contract and sign him to a standard deal.

Dallas' new additions will have an immediate impact on a team looking to take the next step, and they'll prove the doubters wrong. The Mavericks being the No. 23-ranked team in the NBA is far too low, and they didn't give enough credit for the team's improvements this offseason.

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