The Dallas Mavericks cannot afford to repeat any injuries or illnesses like they had last year heading into the 2025-26 season, and if they do, they would be perhaps the unluckiest team in NBA history. Some other fanbases might have something to say about that, but no fanbase has ever gone through a roller coaster of emotional changes like the Mavs, at least in recent memory.
In 2023, the Mavs clearly needed to address their big man woes, as that had been a problem for multiple seasons. Dallas needed to get some help in the draft following their Christian Wood woes.