Dallas Mavericks Open 2026-27 Season Led by Cooper Flagg and Returning Kyrie Irving
The Dallas Mavericks open their 2026-27 regular season on the road against the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center, with tipoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT. The team enters the new campaign aiming for a postseason push following a difficult 26-56 season, banking on the continued development of reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and the long-awaited return of veteran star Kyrie Irving.
Flagg enters his second professional season after going No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. During his debut campaign, the standout forward appeared in 70 games and averaged 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per contest. The Mavericks are counting on Flagg to build upon those stellar numbers as the centerpiece of their roster.
Adding substantial firepower to the backcourt, Irving is set to play his first regular season game since March 3, 2025. Irving missed the entirety of the previous season while recovering from a torn ACL. Prior to the injury, the future Hall of Famer averaged 24.7 points per game and earned an NBA All-Star nod. Now entering his fifth season in Dallas, tonight’s matchup marks the first time Irving and Flagg will share the court in a regular season contest.
The franchise also undergoes a major shift on the sideline and in the frontcourt. Dusty May takes over as head coach in his first professional season, having been hired away from Michigan in June after the Mavericks moved on from Jason Kidd. Joining May in making the jump to the NBA is rookie Morez Johnson, selected No. 9 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft after May and Johnson captured the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament title at Michigan just six months ago.
While the top of the roster features star power, the supporting cast presents several questions. Returning rotation players include center Daniel Gafford, forwards P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall, and guard Max Christie. Gafford and Washington both played key roles on the 2024 Dallas squad that reached the NBA Finals. However, center Dereck Lively remains sidelined while recovering from a foot injury, having missed the majority of the past two seasons due to various physical setbacks.
Dallas has also added multiple new pieces to round out the rotation, including Spanish rookie Sergio de Larrea and trade acquisitions Marcus Sasser, Santi Aldama, Tarik Biberovic, and former No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher. With a blend of established stars, returning veterans, and fresh faces, the Mavericks begin their search for stability and a return to the postseason.
