Why Dallas Mavericks fans should be excited about the team’s preseason slate

Why Dallas Mavericks should be excited about preseason schedule: 2. Young talent on display

The Mavs facing three rebuilding teams in the preseason means fans will get to see plenty of young talent. Dallas is likely to be careful with their starters, so they will be playing young players like Jaden Hardy and Josh Green significant minutes in the build-up to the regular season.

Things start against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are loaded with young talent. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will lead the squad that features Josh Giddey, Lu Dort, and seven other recent first-round picks. Fans will not get to see 2022 second-overall selection Chet Holmgren after he suffered a season-ending foot injury this summer.

The Utah Jazz are in a state of flux after trading Rudy Gobert. It appears they want to deal Donovan Mitchell and begin a total rebuild, but they have not found the right trade yet. The Knicks remain favored to land the All-Star guard, and it may come down to just how many draft picks they are willing to offer. If Mitchell is gone, the Jazz will be another young team with a potential breakout star.

The only home game of the preseason slate sees former assistant coach Jamahl Mosley lead the Orlando Magic into Dallas, and fans should be most excited for that contest.