The Dallas Mavericks are struggling through their first 10 games of the 2025-26 NBA season with a 3-7 record and the league's worst offense, despite a top-5 defense. Rookie Cooper Flagg has faced challenges adjusting to point guard duties, while Anthony Davis has missed five games due to a calf strain. Reports indicate growing pressure on general manager Nico Harrison, with ownership contemplating an in-season change.
The Dallas Mavericks' early season has been marked by offensive inefficiency, sitting at 3-7 after 10 games. Their offensive rating ranks dead last in the NBA, contrasting sharply with a top-5 defense that has not translated to wins. Central to the struggles is No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old rookie labeled a generational talent. Flagg has averaged 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3 assists, but his shooting efficiency has dropped to 40.3% from the field and 27% from three-point range, a decline from his Duke performance.
Coach Jason Kidd's initial experiment positioning Flagg as point guard—a role he had never played—proved unsuccessful. In 38 pick-and-roll possessions, Flagg generated just 0.658 points per possession, ranking in the 20th percentile. Kidd adjusted by starting D'Angelo Russell, signed in the offseason to handle point guard duties until Kyrie Irving's return from an ACL tear. However, over the last three games with a lineup of Russell, Flagg, PJ Washington, Max Christie, and Daniel Gafford, the offensive rating plummeted to 78.4—below the historical low of 92.2 set by the 2002-03 Nuggets.
Complicating matters, Anthony Davis has missed the last five games with a low-grade calf strain suffered on October 29 against the Indiana Pacers, stemming from bilateral Achilles tendinopathy. Davis wanted to play against the Washington Wizards, but team governor Patrick Dumont weighed in against it amid internal disagreements, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "Anthony Davis wanted to play Saturday in Washington… There was internal disagreement about whether that was a good idea," MacMahon reported. The Mavericks have actually scored 2.0 more points per 100 possessions without Davis on the floor.
Irving, a 33-year-old recovering from his ACL injury, remains sidelined with no clear return timeline. The roster lacks shot creators and playmakers, generating just 20.3 paint touches per game while averaging 48.8 points in the paint but allowing 55.6. They rank 30th in three-point shooting at 30.3% and 26th in rim attempts. PJ Washington is averaging a career-high 2.8 turnovers, and Klay Thompson is shooting 26.4% from three, well below his 41.4% career mark.
These issues have intensified scrutiny on general manager Nico Harrison, blamed for the February 2024 trade of Luka Dončić to the Lakers. Per Marc Stein, ownership is troubled by the negativity surrounding the franchise, making an in-season firing unavoidable at high levels. Harrison's past moves, including trading Quentin Grimes for Caleb Martin, have compounded the malaise. With no control over first-round picks from 2027-2030, the Mavericks face a critical window to rebuild around Flagg, potentially by trading Davis before his value declines further.