Cooper Flagg dominates the NBA GM survey before taking the court for Dallas, with 97% of GMs naming him Rookie of the Year and 93% projecting him as the top player from the 2025 draft class five years down the line. Edgecombe and Harper pick up rookie votes in the mix, while the broader rookie chatter hints at a rising pipeline around the Mavericks era. Across the league, Durant is seen as the biggest immediate impact addition, and Wembanyama leads interior defense chatter, even as Dallas is pegged to finish eighth in the West and Kyrie Irvin battles return timing.

Dallas opens Oct 22 against San Antonio as the sport stews on the cost and payoff of a high floor rookie paired with a veteran core. The preseason chatter underscores Flagg as a franchise centerpiece and a careful fantasy target whose ascent may outpace his early role, while roster moves around Banton and Cleveland frame a volatility heavy Mavericks season.