Mavericks' key offseason change is exactly what they need to return to Finals

To end the 2024-25 season, the Dallas Mavericks lost by 18 points in Game 5 of the 2024 NBA Finals, and their season was over. Dallas' run to the NBA Finals was impressive, and they have all the tools to win the Western Conference again.

Dallas made several pivotal moves this offseason, including signing Klay Thompson and trading for Quentin Grimes, but their biggest change is something that has been happening off the floor since the beginning of last season.

After having a rough 2022-23 season in which team chemistry wasn't the best, the Mavs are now driven by their chemistry, and that is a key factor that shows why this season is going to be another great one.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving's chemistry from last season is something that is seemingly always talked about, but the fact that pretty much the entire roster loved playing together can't be overlooked.

Mavericks' increased off-court bonding is perfect recipe for Finals return

Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper are close friends and tackled their rookie seasons together, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford had a bond after being traded to Dallas at the same time, and all of Jason Kidd's players were in his corner through the thick and thin.

Team chemistry isn't something that should ever be taken for granted, and Dallas' chemistry from the deep playoff run carried over into the offseason.

Nearly the entire roster outside of Luka Doncic and Dwight Powell took a trip to Los Angeles last month to train and spend time together, and this was the perfect opportunity for some of the new guys to get to know each other. Thompson already building chemistry with his new teammates is huge, and these off-court activities continued into this week.

Gafford, Washington, and Dereck Lively II were all at the University of Arkansas spending some time training at their facility, and this is one of the countless signs that shows how much this group of guys loves to be around one another. Bonding in the offseason isn't always something you see from NBA teams, and Dallas' big change in this area has a great chance of leading to championship results.

This isn't to say that Mavs players haven't spent time together in past summers, but it seems like it is happening more often now.

All of this time together before training camp begins is going to pay off, and that is going to provide another bonding experience for the team itself. Dallas is going to spend training camp in Las Vegas, and that is going to be a great chance for the team to get work in on the floor, and also build off-court bonds with their teammates.

Off-court chemistry came up huge for Dallas last season and helped push them all the way to the NBA Finals, and the Mavs will be among the elite contenders in the West once again this season.