Mavs Source Reveals Who Deserves Credit for Volume of Summer Moves
· Yahoo Sports
A Dallas Mavericks front office executive pointed to the addition of general manager Mike Schmitz when describing the team's offseason, according to a Western Conference Summer League notebook published Friday by Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Speaking to Smith in Las Vegas on the condition of anonymity, the executive said Masai Ujiri "hit the ground running and we did a lot of stuff." The executive said Schmitz knows everyone in the world who can play, and that the front office is excited about the group it has assembled.
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Smith spent the full length of Summer League and spoke with at least one front office executive from each of the 30 teams, as well as coaches, scouts, and agents. Executives in the notebook were granted anonymity in exchange for their comments.
Ujiri became president of basketball operations and alternate governor on May 4. Schmitz was later hired as general manager to work closely with Ujiri. On May 19, the Mavericks and Jason Kidd mutually agreed to part ways after five seasons, and Dusty May was hired to replace him. Ujiri and May were introduced at American Airlines Center on June 29.
In the 2026 NBA Draft, Dallas selected Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth pick. The Mavericks sent the 30th pick, which became Koa Peat, to Phoenix by way of New York and came away with Valencia guard Sergio De Larrea at 25th. Virginia Tech forward Tobi Lawal went 48th. Dallas acquired the rights to Russian guard Vsevolod Ishchenko at 56th in a deal with Chicago routed through the Los Angeles Lakers.
A six-team trade sent out AJ Johnson along with Khris Middleton, who went to Washington in a sign-and-trade. Dallas received Santi Aldama from Memphis, Marcus Sasser from Detroit, and the draft rights to Tarik Biberović. The Mavericks signed Biberović to a two-year, $6 million contract with a team option for 2027-28, using part of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to set his starting salary at $3 million. Sasser was acquired using the bi-annual exception to absorb his salary.
On July 19, Dallas acquired Zaccharie Risacher from Atlanta in a three-team trade that also moved Luguentz Dort from Oklahoma City to the Hawks. Ryan Nembhard and a second-round pick were part of the outgoing trade package for Dallas.
Dallas matched a two-year, $4.7 million offer sheet the New York Knicks extended to center Moussa Cissé. Jett Howard signed a two-way contract.
The Mavericks finished 26-56 last season. Cooper Flagg averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals as a rookie and won Rookie of the Year. Kyrie Irving is returning from a torn ACL.
ESPN's panel of insiders placed Dallas 23rd in its offseason power rankings, the same position the team held after the NBA Finals.
Dallas carries 16 standard contracts and all three two-way spots are filled. Dwight Powell and Brandon Williams are unsigned. The roster must be down to 15 standard contracts by opening night.