The Dallas Mavericks enter the new NBA season with renewed optimism. Despite ending last year in a way the franchise had never experienced before, they now believe in their project led by Anthony Davis, who is already preparing for the upcoming campaign.
After undergoing eye surgery over the summer, Davis has reportedly returned to the practice floor, signaling that he has most likely been cleared to play, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
“Mavericks All-Star big man Anthony Davis returned to the practice floor this week for some 5-on-5 play,” Stein reported. “It’s believed to be Davis’ first game-speed action since it emerged in July that he needed eye surgery to mend a detached retina.”
Reports also indicated that Davis and Klay Thompson led the Mavericks’ “unity campaign” before the start of official training camp. Looking to build on last season’s Play-In Tournament elimination, the Mavericks made key offseason additions, highlighted by selecting top prospect Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft. They are also awaiting Kyrie Irving’s return as he recovers from an ACL injury.
A new player ready to make an impact
The Mavericks also signed D’Angelo Russell to help fill the void in Irving’s absence, with the starting point guard expected to return NBA midseason. Irving agreed to a contract extension with Dallas, joining PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford as the front office doubled down on its mix of young talent and veteran pieces in Jason Kidd’s rotation.
Russell recently said he feels he is playing the best basketball of his career, a level Mavericks fans should get to witness now that he will carry less pressure compared to his stint with the Lakers.
Another former Davis teammate
Dallas also signed its former first-round pick Dennis Smith Jr. before adding D’Moi Hodge, who previously played with Davis. The team announced the signing of its second guard in one week ahead of training camp. Hodge could end up spending time with the Mavericks’ G League affiliate in 2025-26, while Smith Jr. is aiming to secure a spot on the opening night roster.
Hodge averaged 2.0 points in 5.9 minutes across seven NBA games. Overall, he has played 30 total G League games, averaging 12.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. With a bit of Lakers DNA in this Dallas roster, the Mavericks could become one of the more intriguing teams to watch this season.