Mavericks must pull the plug on fan-favorites as tanking pressure explodes

With the Dallas Mavericks having just two games remaining in the regular season, it's time to start shutting down some of their key players. Dallas already indicated they're in full tank mode by sitting their starters at the end of their last game, and they can maximize their odds of retaining the No. 7 spot in the lottery standings by not allowing a few of their key players to touch the court again.

Mavericks need to shut down these beloved rotation players

Daniel Gafford, P.J. Washington, and Naji Marshall are all doubtful for tonight's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Gafford's is listed as doubtful due to rest, while Washington and Marshall are dealing with a left elbow sprain and left hip contusion, respectively.

With Gafford's season being filled with injuries, it's clear why he shouldn't play against the Spurs tonight or the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. Dallas shouldn't risk him getting injured again, as this offseason will be crucial for his future with the team.

Gafford has been in trade rumors over the last two seasons, and if the Mavericks engage in these conversations again, they need him to be healthy. There was real skepticism that he wouldn't even be on the team past this year's trade deadline, and they should keep his value where it is by sitting him down to propel him toward a summer filled with growth and good health.

He was playing far too well earlier in 2026 for the Mavericks to risk tanking his value by having him get injured again in a meaningless April game, and they should wave the white flag here.

With Washington and Marshall, their case to be held out is a little different.

Marshall and Washington are too good to play

While it's unclear how serious each of their injuries is, their overall impact on winning is far too high for the team to consider playing them again this season. Losing these final two games is extremely crucial, as their odds of moving up in the lottery to potentially draft Cooper Flagg's co-star are on the line.

Both the Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Pelicans are near Dallas in the lottery standings, and even a singular win could cause the Mavericks to move all the way down to eighth. Marshall not playing tonight or Sunday will help prevent this from happening.

He has had the best season of his career this season, as he's averaging a career-high 15.2 points per game while shooting 58.7 percent on 2-point attempts. His ability to get to the rim and finish in the lane is top-tier, and they can't risk messing up their tank by making him available again.

Moving up in the lottery is too appealing to ignore

While many Mavericks fans are extremely against the idea of tanking, the benefits are clear. Dallas needs to have the best chance to move up in the lottery to draft a running mate for Flagg, and unfortunately, losing helps.

Every loss helps the Mavericks not fall in the lottery standings, while also giving them the chance to move up. Two Dallas losses and one Memphis win is the most ideal scenario, and the Mavericks would have sole possession of the No. 6 spot in the lottery without having to worry about a tiebreaker.