ESPN's Mavericks prediction seriously underrates their offseason overhaul

The Dallas Mavericks' offseason has flown under the radar. They look like a much different squad than the one that lost 56 games last season, but they still aren't getting the respect they deserve.

ESPN is already counting the Mavericks out

ESPN recently dropped an article titled "Dallas Mavericks offseason recap, early 2026-27 season preview," and they predicted the Mavericks to win fewer than 34.5 games. They believe Dallas will win 34 games or fewer, and this would be well outside play-in territory and significantly outside the top six of the Western Conference.

ESPN's reasons for this belief include not enough shot creation, a "thin supporting cast" around Cooper Flagg, and a "steep learning curve" for first-year head coach Dusty May. While Dallas definitely needs more shot creation outside of Kyrie Irving, the other two points missed the mark.

Dallas added much-needed depth on the wing and to the frontcourt

Even though the Mavericks' depth may seem thin on the surface, it's actually one of their biggest strengths after this offseason. They bolstered their frontcourt and wing depth by adding Tarik Biberovic, Zaccharie Risacher, Morez Johnson Jr., and Tobi Lawal through trades and the NBA Draft. Dallas also re-signed Moussa Cisse to a two-year deal.

The Mavericks' depth inside and on the wing is one of their many strengths now, and May will have plenty of versatile forwards to throw at some of the best wing scorers in the league next season.

Dusty May could be the perfect coach for Dallas

While May faces a big challenge as he steps into the NBA coaching world, he seems more than ready for it. May just led the Michigan Wolverines to the National Championship, and many of his new Mavericks players have spoken exceptionally highly of him and his coaching style since he signed with Dallas.

The Mavs are a young team, and one of the best coaches in college basketball making the jump to the NBA and coaching them is going to be a great fit. He also specializes in developing his frontcourt players, as proven by Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara, and Morez Johnson Jr.'s rise up draft boards last season, and he should be able to help many of Dallas' young players do the same.

Why the Mavericks can surpass ESPN's low expectations

All in all, after looking at the Mavericks' offseason overhaul on the court, and with their coaching staff and front office, there's no reason that they can't win 35 or more games next season if everyone stays healthy. They finally added more shooting around Flagg, brought in one of college basketball's most respected coaches, and signed two elite executives in Masai Ujiri and Mike Schmitz.

They've already talked about taking a patient approach to building a contender around Flagg, but it's not like it's going to take five years to turn Dallas into a playoff team. The Mavericks have the tools in place to at least be a respected team in the West, and Irving's return to the hardwood is being undermined across the board.

Most analysts and media companies that are doubting Dallas next season aren't giving Irving the hype he deserves, and his play remains a huge swing factor for a pivotal season in Mavericks history.

The Dusty May era is officially underway, and he has the chance to prove ESPN and the rest of the doubters wrong with a big season.

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