The Dallas Mavericks look like a roster built to shock the West this season. They drafted Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick, acquired Anthony Davis in a blockbuster trade, and added veteran shooters like Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell. They also have depth pieces like Danté Exum and two-way prospects such as Ryan Nembhard.
However, even franchise icons know that paper strength doesn’t always translate to dominant performance on the court. At a recent event, Dirk Nowitzki boiled down the team’s outlook to one blunt reality: health.
Why Does Dirk Nowitzki Believe Health Is the Real Question for the Mavericks?
Nowitzki didn’t hold back when discussing the current Mavericks roster. While he acknowledged the team’s impressive additions, the Dallas legend also highlighted a lingering issue that has derailed the franchise’s championship hopes in recent years.
The Hall of Famer emphasized health as the crucial factor that will determine Dallas’ success in the 2025-26 season. If the roster stays healthy, he believes the team could be special. If injuries pile up again, those star names won’t matter.
Noah Weber, covering the team, captured Nowitzki’s comments on X, highlighting his concerns about Kyrie Irving’s recovery timeline and Davis’s durability.
“I think they’re pretty stacked, I’ve been saying it the last few weeks. To me, it all depends on health. When’s Kyrie coming back, is he gonna be 100 percent when he comes back, is AD gonna stay healthy, we know Lively missed some action over the last few years.”
“But if they stay healthy, I think that’s a very deep team…They can play multiple ways with Cooper’s versatility on the wing…To me, it’s all about health, and if they’re healthy they can have a good year in the West…if they’re healthy, it’s gonna be a great season for them.”
Dirk Nowitzki on the Mavericks heading into next season:
“I think they’re pretty stacked, I’ve been saying it the last few weeks. To me, it all depends on health. When’s Kyrie coming back, is he gonna be 100 percent when he comes back, is AD gonna stay healthy, we know Lively… pic.twitter.com/P9rVP27m1p
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) September 13, 2025
Nowitzki’s concerns carry weight because they reflect a painful truth about Dallas’s recent history. The franchise’s championship aspirations repeatedly crumbled due to injuries at crucial moments.
The injury concerns are concrete and recent. Irving suffered a torn ACL in March that ended the team’s 2025 title hopes. Reports this summer suggested optimism for an early 2026 return, but no guarantees exist.
Recovery timelines for ACL injuries vary, and while the Mavericks have called Irving’s progress encouraging, a full return by January or February remains hopeful rather than certain.
Meanwhile, Davis presents another question mark. The Mavericks acquired him in February’s blockbuster trade, and he showed flashes of dominance in his debut before exiting with a left adductor strain. The team then sent him to their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends, for controlled scrimmage rehabilitation.
That stop-and-start integration limited how much Dallas could mesh Davis into their rotations and defensive schemes during the 2025-26 season’s final stretch.
Beyond those headline names, the Mavericks’ interior depth has been repeatedly thinned by injuries. Daniel Gafford suffered a significant right knee sprain and Grade 3 MCL tear, missing weeks during the 2024-25 campaign. Young center Dereck Lively II has battled stress fracture issues and required foot surgery, missing 36 games last season.
Add shorter-term setbacks to P.J. Washington, Caleb Martin, and Dwight Powell, and lineup continuity became rare for long stretches. This is exactly what Nowitzki warns could sink any hopes of a seamless title push.
How Could Health Issues Derail the Mavericks’ 2025-26 Season?
The upside for Dallas’s 2025-26 campaign is undeniable. The franchise won the 2025 draft lottery and used the No. 1 pick on Duke’s Flagg, a 6-foot-9 versatile wing viewed as an immediate-impact rookie who can anchor a championship core.
Dallas also added veteran depth with Russell and retooled their bench through two-way signings like Nembhard and Miles Kelly, plus undrafted free agents Matthew Cleveland and center Moussa Cissé.
This is the deepest NBA roster 💯
Two starting lineups in one 🤯#MFFL pic.twitter.com/a94zVWU6M1
— MFFL (@Mavs_FFL) August 5, 2025
These moves raised both the team’s ceiling and provided multiple lineup options. The franchise also secured forward P.J. Washington with a four-year, $88,762,435 contract extension, emphasizing their commitment to continuity.
However, this combination of star power and role-player depth creates interconnected dependencies. If Irving’s return is delayed, Dallas loses one of its primary shot creators and clutch performers. If Davis’ body doesn’t respond well to increased minutes, the team loses rim protection, rebounding, and versatile two-way production.
Flagg’s development also depends on consistent lineups with veterans who can stabilize the pace, cover for rookie mistakes, and absorb offensive load. This allows the 18-year-old to grow without being overwhelmed by expectations. In this context, Nowitzki’s focus on health becomes both a tactical and developmental pivot point.
The Hall of Famer’s message is clear: Dallas’s roster construction gives them an elite ceiling, but the floor drops dramatically if injuries persist. If they stay healthy, the Mavericks could be a legitimate threat in the 2025-26 season. If they don’t, those headline acquisitions will look like missed opportunities rather than championship building blocks.
