The Dallas Mavericks' 2025 offseason is one of the most crucial summers in recent memory, as Nico Harrison has to find a way to put the best possible roster around Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis to ensure that his "defense wins championships" mindset has the best odds of coming true.
Dallas already has a solid roster around Davis and Irving, as role players such as Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford have been excellent in their roles in the past, and Thompson, in particular, ended last season the strongest of the four aforementioned players. While Washington and Lively II struggled handily in Dallas' final game as they both finished with zero points, Thompson averaged 20.5 points per game while shooting 50 percent from downtown over Dallas' two play-in games. These are the types of performances the Mavs need from him moving forward, as he is going to have his hands full next year.
Thompson's role will likely increase to start next season, as Dallas will be without Irving for several months due to his ACL injury, and he is entering the summer with a viral new hairstyle that has the NBA world buzzing. Any Thompson news always gets fans excited, as he is one of the best shooters to ever play, and his new look is quite different from anything we've seen from him recently.
Klay Thompson and Mavericks could change significantly this summer
Thompson has rocked long curls with a headband for years, which fans have begun to know him for, but he opted to switch things up in a big way this week. He now decided to cut his hair shorter than we've seen in some time, as he is now rocking a low taper fade with a crisp line up in the front.
Who knows if Thompson will actually carry this bold new look into the season, and just like Thompson's new haircut, the Mavericks could be in for some big changes this offseason that will make or break their season next year.
While all signs are pointing to Irving returning this summer on a new contract to form Harrison's dream dynamic duo next to Davis (once Irving gets healthy), it's clear that the Mavericks can't just bring back the same roster that ended the season last season and expect to be a top team in the Western Conference.
The Mavericks squad that lost in the second round of the Play-In Tournament to the Memphis Grizzlies did not have enough shooting, shot creation, or guard depth, and Harrison has to make improvements around the edges to help turn Dallas into a real contender. Harrison has made it clear that he plans on utilizing the Mavs' draft pick this summer (which will likely end up being the No. 11 overall pick), and free agency will also be an important time to sign new players who compliment the core of Irving, Davis, Thompson, Washington, and Lively II.
As things stand now, Dallas' roster was mostly built around Luka Doncic, and Harrison has to pivot on a dime and find the correct way to build around Davis. The Mavs' core will likely stay the same, as players like Thompson and Washington have proved that they can thrive in any situation, and what will change most will likely be Dallas' backcourt, which clearly needs a shakeup.
