Where Do The Mavericks Fit In The NBA’s Hierarchy This Season? | DLLS Mavs Podcast

Where Do The Mavericks Fit In The NBA’s Hierarchy This Season? | DLLS Mavs Podcast

Where did the Mavericks fit in the hierarchy of the NBA this upcoming season? Plus, we’ll dial up the Stein line with our national NBA insider Mark Stein. All coming up next on the DLS Mavs podcast. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, what’s up DLSS Mavs Nation? It’s your man Kevin Gray alongside Mavericks beat writer Tim Ko. We of course are DLLS Mavs. Your favorite guys coming your favorite team every single day, especially at the beginning of August. That’s where we are now. Where do the Mavericks fit in the hierarchy of the NBA this upcoming season? Plus, we’ll play a little Mavs factor fiction later on in our show. Plus, we’ll be joined by our National NBA insider Mark Stein to discuss everything happening across the association. Appreciate you joining us here on DLLS Sports. Make sure you like, comment, and subscribe while you are here. And plus, we want you to become a diehard member right now with our best offer of the year. Our $36 training camp intro offer right now happening, of course, the Cowboys in training camp in Oxnner, California. We want you to become part of our DLL sports family. Clicking that QR code that you see on the screen or if you’re listening, go to alldls.com. Click that Die Hard tab and become a Die Hard member for just 36 bucks a year in our training camp intro offer on this fantastic Friday. Tim Ko, what’s going on? Much. How’s your August going? Uh, so far so good. Uh, we’re hanging out here on the show. Bobby’s still on vacation. Um, hope he’s having a good time uh in Philadelphia. Uh, we know we had some trouble yesterday because, you know, storms and stuff are happening out on the East Coast, but hopefully our guy is safe and made it and going to have a good time on vacation. Uh, so so far so good. Can’t believe we’re in the last third of the year already for 2025. Third? Oh, we’re we’re in the last Wait, is that how it works? You could either do it by quarters or thirds? Well, no, we’re Wouldn’t this Wouldn’t September be the last third? Yes. Oh, no. Yeah, this is the eighth month of the year. Yeah. 9 10 11 12 That’s the final third. Oh, that’s better math. That’s better math. You’re right. We’re close. I just I was like, am I tripping? Is that what’s Am I tripping? Just a little little early. Little little early. A little early. So, we’re still technically in the second third of the year, I guess. Is that how that works? We’re in the last uh No, we’re not in the last four. We’re You had it right. Don’t worry about You had it right. You had it right. We’re definitely in a year. That’s right. Uh that’s right, Mr. Crazy. We play four seasons, quarters. KG, you’re right. You’re exactly right. Uh so we’ll get to the fourth quarter of the year. Whatever. Anyway, I’ll leave it alone. It’s just leave it alone. Uh what are the We’re in the We’re in the final um uh five 12ths of the year. Is that That’s how that works. That’s for sure. Okay. That’s how that works. That’s how it works. Uh regardless, we’re getting a little bit closer to actual basketball. Uh yes, this is the I won’t even call it dead period of the NBA, but it’s a little more quiet. Obviously there’s it’s rotting. It’s a rotted period of the year. It’s like we’re we’re starting to smell the body. That’s right. I mean, there are things still happening. Muel Bridges, who got a nice contract extension uh from the New York Knicks. But of course, for your Dallas Mavericks, we move a little bit closer toward NBA media days, which will be at the end of September. Of course, the Mavericks announcing last week that they’ll be holding training camp in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, uh at the end of September and the beginning of October. So, still a lot to get to as we move toward that. But where do the Mavericks fit in the hierarchy of the NBA? Last year, of course, the Mavericks finished with the 12th worst record in the association. And while I was out on vacation, the guys decided to make me the topic of conversation in terms of my list that I had and where the Mavericks fit as far as the top 10 in the West. And apparently, it generated a lot of conversation. So, I guess Tanner is going to make me defend my list today that I had as far as where the Mavericks were as I had them in seventh, I believe. Uh, as far as Okay, there we go. We have to Who spelled my name? I was just about to say I mean, I don’t know what I was doing. KO, as long as we’ve been working together. I’m looking at this and I’m like, why did I do that? Wow. I just noticed that and I was like, I I look at it and I’m like, that’s obviously wrong. I don’t know what I was doing. For the folks that are listening, Tim Kada put together uh what looks to be a Google uh chart here uh where we have each of our top 10 teams in the West. Tanner, I’m sending you a fixed version. He spelled his name correctly, but apparently he doesn’t know how to spell my name correctly. Uh as he’s got G R E Y instead of, you know, a Y. I That’s shocking to me. I’m I’m very apologetic. That’s Wow, Tim. We got to be better than that. It’s I thought we were better than that, honestly. Yeah, I I thought we were too. Um well, as soon as he uh as Hannah gets the revised list with my correct name on it, we’ll look at where we have our top 10 teams. Uh I did have, as I mentioned, the Mavericks in seventh, uh with the Lakers just ahead in sixth. I guess I should just pull up my own list. I know exactly, Mr. Crazy. You feeling gray, KG? That’s right. G R E Y. And And I always I always remember this because gray with an E is the English spelling. Gray with an A is the American spelling. I don’t remember this in context of your name. I just know your name’s great with an A. I don’t know how my brain backfired. Too much Celsius, I guess. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Now you got too much Celsius. Is that what it is? I guess so. I guess so. Yeah. What what Shahed said. Great minds think alike. That’s right. We’re on the same page here. So, yeah. No, I I also I also went in and did a way too early ranking of the Western Conference. Western Conference, which is as tough as it’s ever been. That is uh what I published uh inspired by you uh last week and uh I ranked all 15 teams. I didn’t go just for 10. Oh wow. So while we’re stalling just for a second, I’ll I’ll I’ll list my bottom five teams. Okay. And last is Utah. I don’t think there’s a lot of uh debate there. Not disputing that at all. Utah is literally racing to the bottom as quickly as they can. AJ Deans. Next three. Phoenix Suns, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans. What do you think of that? So, yeah, the Pelicans 14 13 12 and I like I put I put the Pelicans 12 saying they’re probably actually going to be 14th, but if they’re healthy, if Zion is healthy, I stand by the fact that Zion helps you win basketball games. And so, just the possibility that he could be healthy, but you know, I wrote a whole paragraph kind of explaining this. The Pelicans are weird because they have a lot of players that a lot of teams like, but I don’t know if those pieces actually fit together on the actual Pelicans roster as they’re currently constructed. Yeah. And it’s like none of it none of it matters. It’s not healthy. Like it’s just it’s a you know him, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones, Cavan Looney, Jordan Pool. I kind of think Jordan P is maybe on the verge of a renaissance to being like a useful okay basketball player, but we’ll see. Wow, that’s a hot take. Okay. He was good in Washington space cadet man. He just happened to be finals. I I mean awesome. Yeah. And then did you watch him much with Washington? Who’s watching Washington Wizards basketball? I did occasionally. Oh yeah. I thought I I thought he looked I thought he looked decent. They’ll be more of an interesting watch this year. We’ll watch. And then 11th I put Portland. And I know Portland’s also not in your top 10. I thought long and long and hard about putting the Meyer. I do really like Portland. Fourth best defensive rating after the All-Star break, which I don’t think was nothing. You know, they’re they’re they I I think DeAndre Aton and and Anthony Simons were their two spaciest defensive players along with Shaden Sharp, but DeAndre Aton, Anthony Simon, shipped them both out. They replaced him with Drew Holiday and a full season of Matis Thyel. Mhm. Thybel played 15 games for the Portland last year. Would you like to guess which side of the all-star break it was on? It was after when they had that defensive rating. Like he helped. He added to it. He is a very good defender. So, I don’t I was trying to decide between Memphis and Portland if what you were describing with Portland in the second half of the year was a more of a mirage or actually what they’re starting to become as a team. So, I went with Memphis because I know I feel a little bit better about what they are even without Desmond Bane than I do about Portland and this newfound defense that they’ve gotten uh gotten there. All right, let’s let’s let’s see our top 10. All right, let’s see it. Are going to be awfully similar. All right. So, both Tim and I have the group. Wow. Yeah, that’s sweet of you. Yeah. Uh, both Tom and I uh have I don’t know who this is. So, don’t come at like it’s it’s whoever’s list this is. It’s not mine. Okay. Just your brother, your twin brother Tom. Got it. Uh, the Grizzlies at number 10. Uh, you have the Mavericks at number nine. I have the Spurs at number nine. You have the Spurs at number eight. I have the Warriors at eight. I have the Mavericks at seven. You have the Lakers at seven. Interesting. Okay. Okay. So, so, so we both have the same top four. Slightly mixed up. Thunder Nuggets. Uh, Rockets Clippers is your top four. And I flip them around. I have the clip. It’s Clippers above the Rockets. We can debate that. We both have Timberwolves at five. And then we both have the next The next four are also the same. It’s Lakers, Mavericks, Warriors, Spurs for you. Warriors, Lakers, Spurs, Mavericks for me. that we both have Grizzlies 10th. So, where we Okay, so let’s touch on I want to start with Minnesota because for some reason a lot of people keep jumping in my chat saying Minnesota’s going to have a down year. They lost to kill Alexander Walker. You know, they’re not going to be the same team. Mike Connley’s a year older. I still think that’s a top five team in the West that may be scratching the surface of number four. I know they get off to slow starts and then the second halves of the years these last couple years with them make it to the Western Conference Finals uh have really propelled them to the success that they’ve had, but I just have them still as a top four or five team. I have them five right now based off of where the West is. I just I I personally don’t see the regression, but a lot of folks think that maybe coming for Minnesota this year. I mean, I could see it easier if they didn’t come on stronger to end the year. you know, like Julius Randle did take half a season before they really started clicking together. And that’s when it started coming together a little bit more for the Timberwolves. So, you know, this this isn’t a team that like had a hot stretch. And, you know, if if they if they had a if they were good to start or they were good for like 40 games in the middle of the season, I’d be more willing to say that yeah, they were just like overperforming a little bit, but they ended the year really well. They got to the conference finals again, obviously, as we know. And uh yeah, I just I I I find it hard to see any like major regression. I think Jaylen Clark uh certainly can fill in a little bit for for what Na did for them. N’s a loss and and I don’t think Terrence Shannon Jr. is like, you know, guaranteed to be a one to one replacement. In fact, I I can guarantee he’s not going to be a one toone replacement. But overall, I I do like still like think that team is is interesting. uh if there’s regression, it’s it’s that Mike Connley’s only only older and and we’ll see we’ll see about Rob Dillingham and whether he is ready to step into a role. My impression is that people have still have some concerns there and I think Anthony Edwards is Anthony Edwards is going to continue his ascent uh as one of the best players uh in the NBA. So, I just don’t necessarily see it. So, let’s put it back up real quick, Tanner, as far as the list is concerned because this is where we get to where the Mavericks are as far as the West and the rest of the hierarchy. So, I have the Mavericks at seven. You have them at nine. I want to hear more about this because I guess I’m thinking I guess I’m going on the realist optimistic side for me. Anthony Davis and this group stays healthy. I think they can hover around 500 and just above 500 by the time Kyrie Irving gets back and we’ll see what happens from there in the last, you know, 20 to 25 games of the regular season. But you had them down uh at nine just above the Memphis Grizzlies and just behind the San Antonio Spurs. Yeah, last year the the team that was the eighth seed won 48 games. That’s very true. Like they can hover around 500 and be better once Kyrie gets back. And I you know when I wrote about this I I put all throughout my blurb that it’s the it’s the injury stuff that that scares me. It’s it’s Kyrie. It’s it’s Anthony Davis. It’s just the idea that like I I think this team is more talented than Memphis. Uh you know, even even not including Kyrie or or you know I think if you include Kyrie I I have them as a better roster than San Antonio than than probably Golden State. But the injuries are concerning to me. This is a major concern. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and again it’s a lot of this also comes from the Western Conference. The eighth seed last year won 48 games. Mhm. You’re not guaranteed that we’re going to see a repeat of that, but I think that there are more there are more teams that are better in the West than there were last season. Uh, you know, always going to be a team that that struggles and stuff, but if you’re asking Dallas to get 48 wins, I think that is a lot to ask. And I think that the teams that are, you know, I think there’s eight teams that can win 46, 47, 48 plus games, just like it happened last year. Mhm. Eight teams won 48 games. Dallas can play Dallas can be, you know, 25 and 25. And to get to 48, uh, what’s the quick math on that? Like 25, that’s about 50 games in the season. Let’s let’s say Kyrie is returning, you know, around uh, February, you got to go 23 and N in your final 32 games to get to get 48. Can they go 23 and N? 23 and N just because that’s when Kyrie returns because that is a that is a huge task. It’s a huge ask. So yeah, I have injury concerns. So he uh comments, you know, the uh seeds three through eight last year were separated by two games. Yeah, the West was a log jam. It was as tight as it’s ever been and a three or four game losing streak or win streak could climb you from being third to dropping to eighth. Like that’s how crazy crazy the Western Conference was uh this past year. So So David David real quick I know I know we’re pushing it. Uh David asked like should we also consider missed games for the Clippers? Uh David Mason and yeah Kyrie uh Kawhai played 38 games last season and he maybe only plays 41 games again. Maybe he only plays half the season. But I think their depth has a lot of built-in redundancy. I think Chris Paul is someone who can slot right in for James Harden. Uh, you know, having Brook Lopez there for Zubots. Uh, John, John Collins, like I like their depth in a redundancy sense. I still worry about, you know, they Dallas does not have a redundant, you know, player to Kyrie Irving. And that worries me more than it worries me with, you know, a team like the Clippers that I just think have built a really excellent roster. People can disagree and I I I hear y’all, but yeah, that’s that’s where I fell on that why I I I went like that. Yeah. Yeah. Clippers have built a hell of a team uh going into this upcoming year. Let’s take our first break here on the DL Ellis Mass podcast. When we come back, let’s play a little Mass Factor fiction, including this one when it comes to Anthony Davis and another one when it comes to Kyrie Irving. All that and more coming up next. But first, let me talk to you about Saturday Neon. 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But Tim, let’s play a little Mad Factor Fiction. You can play along as well if you’re watching us live and also if you’re listening as well on our podcast, wherever you get your podcast for free. Let’s start with this one for Anthony Davis. talked about a lot about the health of this team going into this upcoming season and what it means for where they fit in the West and overall in the NBA as they move toward a potential playoff spot. Let’s start with this one. Factor fiction number one, Anthony Davis will play at least 65 games this season. Factor fiction, Anthony Davis will play 65 at least 65 games this season. I mean, really no way to say anything but fiction. you know, this would be if he plays 65 plus that this would be the second time in eight seasons that he’s done that. I believe one time shortened season he was on pace to play that many or or would have with a full season. Uh so so slightly, you know, slightly modified, you know, account for that, but that’s still even accounting for that. That’s three of the past eight seasons if next season he plays 65. Uh you know, he’s only done it two of the past seven. And yeah, he’s he’s posting some real cryptic stuff on his Instagram. And uh everybody is very aware that this eye thing is is uh confus not confusing just just uh very unknown. Yeah. Yeah. We don’t we don’t we still don’t know. Lack of clarity if you will. Yeah. Yeah. Like some blurriness maybe. Um you can touch. Yeah. That that that’s going on with what exactly is happening. You know, we just can’t see it right. you know, like see exactly what the outlook is. And so that’s low. I’m You do it a lot. The first one you was cool, then you went for the second one. I agree. I agree that that that that I also I I don’t mean to make light of it. Like, but it is it is concerning. It is a concerning thing. It’s concerning for him as a player, as a human, as a person. Uh it’s concerning for the Mavericks. Uh everything may end up being fine. He everything, you know, we just don’t know right now. But especially with this looming over it, especially with his track record, there’s no way that you can say fact, uh, you know, just based off everything. The last time he played at least 75 games was, of course, when the Lakers, uh, wind up going to the Western Conference Finals and losing to the Denver Nuggets, but at the same time, we have some folks saying facts, some folks saying fiction. Uh, I’ve said plenty of times on this show that the health of Anthony Davis outside of Kyrie Irving is the most paramount thing to think about when it comes to the success of the Mavericks this upcoming season because of what type of player that he is. A top 15 player when he’s at his best and healthy and a force on the defensive side for the Mavericks. And if he’s going to be available, they’re going to have a chance to be one of the best defenses in the league with all the bigs uh that they have. So, with this one though, I’m going to have to go with fiction on this one only because as Tim laid out, the track record uh doesn’t necessarily fit when it comes to Anthony Davis and his ability to be available. But if he does, it’s a good thing for Dallas this upcoming season. So, let’s keep going here with our maz factor fiction. Uh statement number two, Daniel Gaffford will be with the Mavericks the entirety of the 2526 season. Daniel Gaffford will be on the Dallas Mavericks for the entirety of this upcoming season. Fact or fiction? I could go either way with this kind of I don’t know. My gut right now in this moment in this exact moment right now says fact. Oh, okay. That’s not where I thought you were going with that. Okay. Why? So, I don’t know. That’s just what it says. I don’t know. It’s it’s it’s August 1. Who knows? I have no clue. All I’m saying is that like right now, that’s what my gut says to say to this one. I agree. I mean, there’s a lot of reasons to trade him. There’s a lot of reasons to expect that Dallas is going to make a consolidation trade, that Dallas is going to, you know, get some get some of the bodies and the minutes out of the uh, you know, out of the front court to to clear space. But we’re just I excuse me. Got choked up there. I guess because we just talked about Anthony Davis and the uncertainty we have about how much he’s going to be on the court next season and we’ve talked about the uncertainty, how much Derrick Lively is going to be on the the court next season. We’ve talked about it maybe being a gap year uh in our eyes. We don’t know about that at Dallas. We’ve talked about how eventually Dallas is going to need to trade players to clear away and and kind of restart the Cooper flag era. I guess like maybe you just need him to stick around and maybe you need to, you know, the the CBA the the way the CBA works like there’s absolutely going to be teams interested him like during the trade deadline just like there was teams interested last summer and as we’ve pointed out it’s very interesting and telling that his contract was the exact contract needed to make him immediately tradable. now immediately as now as about a month and a half ago. But I don’t know. I mean, that’s Yeah, like like they might just they might just hold on. They might just hold on and and and see what happens. I feel more of it being a fact now than I did when he initially signed the contract extension because with the news of Anthony Davis and the detached retreat, Derek Lively the second with the surgery, you know, to get the bone spurs removed from his foot and obviously the two big men that they have have shown injury concerns throughout the course of their career. Obviously, Lively only a couple years into his career, but nonetheless, the concern is still there. So, if you’re wanting that insurance policy, if you will, and Daniel Gaffer has played well in his time in Dallas, yeah, you’re probably going to have to hang on to him even with the idea of a possible consolidation trade to make some things happen from a roster standpoint because you just can’t afford if they’re going to go with this whole jumbo big lineup where it features Anthony Davis, Derrick Lively, Daniel Gaford, obviously now Cooper Flag uh in the mix, PJ Wash, don’t want to forget about him. they’re going to have to commit to this. And the insurance that you have with Daniel Gaffford, as good of a player as he is, uh, gives me the idea that he’s going to be sticking around for the duration of the year because you just can’t bank necessarily on continued consistent availability, uh, for the two best big men that this team has, uh, and Anthony Davis and Dererick Lively. So, shout out to Daniel Gaffer. I think he is going to remain here because they just simply can’t afford to lose him given the way that they’re trying to identify themselves as a team. uh know when they want to have to get after it every single night. Uh let’s finish up here with some factor or fiction before we get to our guy Mark Stein. Uh some folks already in the chat saying that, you know, they believe that’s fact as far as Neil Gaffer staying um with the Mavericks this upcoming season. So, let’s get to this one then. We’ve talked about where the Mavericks fit in the West, where they fit in the NBA. No injury is looming over the NBA larger than Kyrie Irving coming back to the Dallas Mavericks at some point this upcoming season. So the question, the statement is factor fiction. The Mavericks will be 500 by the time Kyrie Irving comes back. We still don’t know when that timetable is going to be, but let’s just say it’s right after the All-Star break and the Mavericks get the chance to have Kyrie Irving back right before the beginning of March. They’ll be 500 by the time Kyrie Irving comes back to this team. If it’s that late in the season, I actually have more concerns. you know, if it’s 50 games into the season, you know, the little 25 and 25 thing, like I think Dallas can hold it together. I think it just at some point the attrition of not having Carrie Irving, not having your star, your stub, the guy who ties it all together. The later on it goes, the the less uh the less faith I have that this is going to be a 500 team. But, and the reason why I chose that time frame is that that’s the more conservative timeline, if you will, when it comes to Kyrie Irving potentially coming back. I still think that like I think this is a 500 team without Kyrie Irving. I just think that the longer you have to play without him, the tougher it gets. I do think this is a 500 team without Kyrie. I think they’re a better than 500 team with Kyrie. But as we kind of just played out, like even if you’re 500, even if you’re 25 and 25, that puts a lot of work on the back end where Kyrie is just getting back onto the court, probably missing, you know, every backto-back and just it’s tough. Yeah, it will be tough. But at the same time, I mean, if we’re going to go as fully optimistic as you can, I’ll go fact here because I think one of the things I think about from this past season, no matter what type of injury situation they were facing, this team competed every single night and played hard. There were games that they won that they definitely should not have won throughout the course. They had a three-game winning win streak going into the All-Star break where things were extremely bleak after obviously the trade and the change happened. So, I think this team will be prepared to play every night. And part of this too is the wild card of Cooper Flag and what he is going to be for the Mavericks this upcoming season. How much of a boost can he provide in his rookie year to help send the tie until Kyrie Irving comes back? Yes, they brought in D’Angelo Russell as well to play the point guard position until Kyrie Irving comes back. And I think this team will have a little bit of a chip on the shoulder to prove that they can hang on until Kyrie comes back. Now, what that looks like once Irving returns, as Tim mentioned, will he be playing in backtobacks? How will he be able to incorporate himself in the intensity of a playoff push and then going into the postseason? All that remains to be seen, but I think they have a chance to be able to hold it together to be a 500 by the time uh he gets back cuz this team plays that hard and plays that competitively every night. And I think the talent that they have with the addition now of Cooper Flag uh will give them a chance to be at that point by the time Irving returns. But it’s going to be difficult for them to do so because we mentioned the West is as treacherous as it’s going to be uh as ever this upcoming season uh in the Western Conference. Uh from is this MW and Wyatt? I think he took it as like fiction. They’re going to be way better than 500 is is Oh, fiction flag. But but like I think I think I read your question as like are they going to be at least 500 by the time Kyrie gets back? You know, I I understand though how how he’s reading it as like, “No, they’re going to be way better than 500 because Cooper Flag is going to be that good.” That’s a bold prediction there. Yeah. Um, we’ve got Lonear Rob says, “A faction.” He just put it together both together. Yeah, that’s a good way to answer. You know, I I like I like things like the like the M Wyatt comment because like it was last week we were talking about the idea of like is there how much pressure is there not enough pressure on Cooper Flag? Not Not literally. I’m I’m exaggerating, doing a little hyperbole, but he’s a number one pick. Yeah. Like I don’t care that he’s 18. If he’s a generational prospect and number one pick coming into a team that needs him to play and be good to be a good team, it’s okay to put a lot of pressure onto him. Yeah. like this is there are you know with young players with 18 year olds I’m almost always going to air on the side of but I’m the one who keeps saying he’s a generational prospect you know he is he is that good he was picked number one overall he’s been talked about for years uh you know as as like this this next you know American great American coming out of college sure put pressure on him he’s earned it he wants it this is what he has craved so that’s the situ situation you want to be in where it’s like, yeah, Cooper is going to be the guy who makes sure that this team is is well above 500 uh and is going to make sure that that Dallas doesn’t miss Kyrie. I am not positive whatsoever that’s going to be the case. Like I I have some hesitations to to agree with that 100% myself, but I think it’s war like like warranted. I think it’s earned. You know, I think Cooper Flag is one of the few people that deserves those types of expectations and if you will, pressure and he’s coming into a situation where he’s going to have a lot of Hall of Fame talent around him and a guy in Jason Kidd knows a thing or two about being a top draft pick as well. Let’s take our next break here on the DLS mass podcast. When we come back, we welcome in our National NBA insider Mark Stein to see what’s on his radar as the calendars officially turn to August as we continue in the NBA offseason. All that more coming up next year on DLS Mavs, but we want you to check out store.allcityetwork.com for our tremendous line of apparel and gear, including our brand new Dallas collection that we have. We have our Maverick shirt. We have our Dallas versus All Y’all shirt. The uh the bit Nolan Ryan uh beating the hell out of Robert Ventura shirt. We’ve got all kinds of tremendous apparel and t-shirts on the Dallas collection when it comes to store.allcityetwork.com. We’ve also got our flag capture shirt as well celebrating the number one overall pick Cooper flag of course of your Dallas Mavericks. So make sure you check that out when it comes to the Dallas collection. And we’ve got our DLLS road trip coming up as well for our Dallas Cowboys as our DLS Cowboys crew will be heading to Sin City in Las Vegas November 15th through the 18th uh culminating in a Monday night football tilt between the Cowboys and the Raiders. So you have a chance to hang out with our DLS Cowboys crew in Las Vegas courtesy of True Fan Travel. Oh, we’re also I thought I was doing the second one. Oh, my bad. You’re right. That’s my bad. Let’s keep No, that’s right. You’re right. Uh, so yeah, go to Aldls. I forgot about that. You go to Aldls.com as well. We got our best intro offer of the season happening, right? That’s our best show ever, by the way. Our best offer happening. It’s Friday. It’s Friday. It’s Friday. Bobby’s not here. We’re just falling apart. Yes, that’s right. Uh, Bobby, Cat, come save us. No, don’t. No, we’re She’s got her own stuff. She got Take my chair. All.com. our $36 intro offer happening right now. Our best offer of the season. We want you to become part of our DLLs sports family and get all the access to our member only Discord, our tremendous benefits, 20% off events, and access to our guy Tim Ko stuff on all dls.com. Again, $36 for our training camp intro offer, best offer of the year happening right now. Let’s welcome in the best insider in the land right now when it comes talking about the NBA. Please save us. You can dial at the Stein line at the Stein line. He of course is our guy Mark Stein. Mark, what’s going on? Are things not going well? Are you going to join us? Uh, no. Things are well. Oh, wow. She’s Are you joining us? She’s got drinks for us. That’s so sweet of you, Cath. I mean, for Oh, no. Yeah, he needs all the beer he can get. He needs all the beer he can get. Hi, Cat. Mark, good to see you on this Friday hanging out with us here. Uh let’s just jump into it because we have now turned the calendar officially from July to August. Uh we are that much deeper into the NBA off season, but there’s still some things on the radar to look out for uh when it comes to the association. Let’s start here. What is on the top of Mark Stein’s radar, whether it be for the Mavericks or across the rest of the association right now? I mean, there’s there’s still lots of stuff. I mean, I think we discussed this a little bit yesterday. You still have Russell Westbrook, Ben Simmons, Malcolm Brogden, they’re all still free agents, restricted free agents. I would like to think we’re going to see resolutions in August. I’m sure Jonathan Kuminga and Cam Thomas and Quentyn Grimes and Josh Giddy, I’m sure all of them are hoping that their situations are finally resolved in August. I don’t know that I’m ready to promise that though the way as slowm moving as all those things have been. But also, you know, we will have multiple major FEA competitions to put NBA players on our screens. Afro Basket starts on August 12th. America Cup starts on August 22nd. And Euro Basket, which is filled with NBA players, starts on August 27th. So there will be hoops to watch, real hoops. And friendly games are starting all over Europe here next week. So we will start to see some watchable basketball again. Lots going on in August. For those of us who are aware that media day is not till September 29th, training camp doesn’t start till September 30th. And for those of us who are like, how are we going to make it to that point? There are there are things to watch. Does any of that does any of that grab you guys? No, it it does because I wanted to ask you about how concerned are NBA teams at this point of the year when you start having these major international competitions with a lot of NBA stars. Some of the biggest ones going to be playing especially in Euro Basket whether it be Luca Donis Jonas Atendmpo um Nicole Joic as well all of them are going to be playing Lori Markin for the Utah Jays all these players going to be playing in Euro Basket. How do these teams approach this time of the year when these players are going to be playing in these international competitions like this? Well, look, obviously NBA teams don’t love it and, you know, secretly and not so secretly panic and worry, but this is the reality. I mean, my position on it has always been as a league, you can’t go all over the world and bring in more than a hundred international players every season and then expect them to not play for their national teams. Now the big difference in soccer they have international breaks built into the schedule where players leave you know their domestic season stop and players go play in qualifying games and you obviously next summer is the soccer world cup so you know all of the greatest stars and that sport will be in the United States and Canada and Mexico as three countries in North America get to combine as hosts. That’s a first in the soccer realm. But yeah, obviously it’s nerve-wracking for any team to see their key guys play for their national teams, but it means so much to so many of these players. I mean, throughout Luca’s time here, I mean, you guys heard the way he talked about how much it meant to him to play for Slovenia, you know, and there are a lot of players who feel that way about playing for their country. So, I mean, you know me, I love my international hoops, and I can’t wait to see it. Yeah, if Mark Cuban had any say in this, he would uh Yeah, he would shut the whole thing down. He did say that. And no, he he said it all. He said it all the time. He would love for he he’s he’s you know wished that and you know he just celebrated a birthday yesterday a belated happy birthday 67th birthday yesterday to Mark Cuban but yeah Mark Cuban long was this idea actually came from I believe this was David Stern’s idea or push initially there was talk that maybe Olympic basketball should go to 23 and under because FEA wants FEA prefers that the focus is on its World Cup. You know, in soccer, the World Cup is much, much, much bigger than the Olympics. In basketball, it’s the reverse. I think in a lot of non US countries, the basketball World Cup means a ton, but to American NBA players, the Olympics has been far far more important. So, one idea that was hatched to try to combat that was let’s let’s make Olympics 23 and under. And you know, Cuban’s been allowed proponent of that. And Cuban takes it a step further. He wants to see the NBA run the World Cup itself as part of the NBA’s business. I don’t think that’s Uhoh. Oh no. Oh no. He said the words Adam Silver and was like actually not happening. Get out. A call. A call was made. call was definitely made. Unbelievable. We are being silent or at least Stein is anyway. Yeah. Uh for the Mo. We’ll get him back on the line here. Uh just a moment here on the show. Um but what are your thoughts on this? Obviously with Eurobass coming up and the idea of hey these NBA teams you slightly concerned, you know, when it these guys get ready to play uh in these tournaments. Yeah. Yeah. We should also ban uh ban proams, uh pickup runs, uh practice. Uh I I don’t know why players practice. They might get hurt. Uh you know, any street ball, any Rucker Park should be dismantled. Uh you know, brick by brick that not does not really apply. I don’t think there’s brick. Uh it’s just I get it. It’s obviously a slightly higher level of competition. Uh for some players, it it it is a it’s a beating. It can it can it can wear on them. Uh but you know like Klay Thompson and and uh D’Angelo Russell are working out together like players are gonna be on basketball courts. I get that it’s a slight injury risk but uh if the beauty of sports is that you know players play and they play they they feel strongly about basketball they feel strongly about their countries to go suit up and and you know basically work unpaid hours. I don’t think literally. I know you I’m pretty sure you’re paid for national team duty. uh you know I know in soccer you are but still if you know like I I don’t I don’t want to get rid of the essence of sports and the fact that these guys want to go do it. So yeah, it’s like yeah tough. It’s it’s it’s certainly a bummer if anybody gets hurt in Euro Basket and affects a season, but you know what all sucks? Getting hurt in an NBA season and affecting a season. It’s it’s a it’s a risk that for what Euro basket and European basketball and international basketball and sports etc etc represent it’s a risk that you know players are willing to take and all these players that are suiting up in Euro Basket could choose not to do it and some did some have you know we weren’t sure whether Giannis or Yokic for sure were gonna play and if they hadn’t we would have understood and you know when we understand that that he, you know, had to sit out with, you know, as he recovers from the blood, uh, the blood clot scare. And we understand there are circumstances where these guys are not, you know, they’re not, uh, you know, show ponies. You know, this is not a these these are not circus tricks. You know, these are animate human living people who have to make the best decisions for themselves. And time and time again, a lot of these guys make the best decision for themselves that they’re going to go play for their national team. They’re going to play go and represent their country. And it means something to them. sometimes on a level that’s even deeper or or at least different than what it means to represent your your actual NBA team. So, I am all for it and I am all for every player making that choice themselves and any player that chooses not to participate, I understand that as well. Sure. And we’ve seen this in national team, you know, soccer where football where, you know, there are players who just, you know, are not as locked in, not as dialed in, you know, just don’t want that as a aspect of their careers and they struggle with it and, you know, that’s something I can also understand and you know, Carlos Vila and oh my god, I’m blanking on the name, the uh the midfielder uh who played for the Columbus Crew for a style. Uh he’s a US US men’s national team midfielder who who played a little bit of national team and then ultimately just decided like he didn’t have time for it and you know his career was better off if that wasn’t oh my god I can’t believe I’m blanking on his name. Uh but but yeah you know I understand those situations but should be up to the players and the players time and time again they choose to play because it means something to them. It matters and I am pro player when it comes to stuff like this. I if the players care then I care. You think Cooper Flag is going to be on the uh 2026 US men’s national team for the Olympics? I have not thought even a second about it. Where are they playing it? Los Angeles. Oh, it is a I knew I knew LA was getting one. For some reason, I was thinking 28. You’re right. It is next year. Uh oh, no. Or is it 28? I think it is 28. It’s 28. It’s 28. I’m sorry. It’s 28 28 because Because Yeah, we just had last summer was Yes. Yeah. Um 28 maybe 26 no he would not have been there. No no no he would not but 2028 Los Angeles uh you know winter even though basketball was played in winter it is a summer Olympic sport. So no it makes sense. I mean that’s when you can play it for sure. All right well let’s take our next break here our final break here on the TLS podcast. Hoping to get Stein back. Tanner is is working on it. He is literally working on it as we go to break here. Hopefully we get our guy Mark Stein back to finish up our show today here on the DLS mass podcast. You No, it’s me. There we are. Thank you, Tanner. He’s He’s He’s dealing with stuff. It’s okay. It’s okay. Everybody’s fine. Everything’s fine if you’re a die hard, which you can sign up for. $36 intro offer for NFL training camp. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Oh, something that you might not know. Yes, this offer has been constructed and crafted for NFL training camp, but you can use it for any sport you want. Oh, that’s good. You don’t have to be a DLS Cowboys watcher. You could just be trying to read the 19 biggest Mavericks questions headed into the 202526 NBA season. Let’s go. You could be trying to read in the weeks ahead stories that I’m writing about all of these questions or most of them a lot of them trying my best to answer maybe not telling you Anthony Davis is fine and you know like if Mark Stein doesn’t know it I you know if he doesn’t have a good sense of that I don’t have a good sense of that you know like like like anything if if he’s not getting it then very often I I am not uh but but what I can tell you is that I’ve been starting to talk to people about what is a retina uh displacement detachment. Detachment, right? What is that? Yeah, probably should probably should figure out the injury before I uh No, I was just blanking on it. Um, you know, starting to figure out, okay, so what are the ramifications of this? What how does it, you know, how do you recover from it? And so far, you know, it doesn’t sound like the the most fun things. There’s like a little bit of confusion about what’s all going on there. So, trying to get to the bottom of that. Trying to get to the bottom of a lot more questions. Which Mavericks will defend star guards? Which Mavericks will most often be the Which Maverick will most often be the roaming helper? Will Cooper flag have a preferred scoring spots? All of that I’m diving into trying to figure out answers. You can sign up. $36 intro offer. Just go to alldls.comhard. Let’s finish up here on the DLS Mavs show today as we welcome back in our national NBA insider, Mark Stein. Okay, Mark, he is here. You were being Sorry about that, kids. No, it’s all right. Um, we won’t let Adam Silver get you this time. So, uh, speaking of obviously the NBA, five years ago, uh, we entered into one of the most unique set of circumstances um, not just in NBA history, really in uh, sports history with the creation of what was the bubble in the NBA bubble at the time. The Lakers of course went on to win the NBA championship uh that year, but uh five years since that period. What do you remember about that time as we look back uh at the NBA bubble five years ago? Yeah, five years this I want to make sure my stuff is connected here. Five years this week, first game played in the bubble. And it’s funny because I recently did a podcast with the Hall of Fame photographer Andy Bernstein. He was also a bubble resident. We actually taped it in late June cuz things were so chaotic and just did a whole bunch of bubble memories. And I’m I mean the posts are starting to pop up now and it’s all starting to come back. Like I saw the Pacers today threw up a tweet about how 5 years ago today TJ Warren scored 50 whatever in the bubble 51 53 don’t remember the exact number but look um I’ve I said it then and I will always say it to me it was an unmissable thing I feel really really fortunate that I was on that short list of journalists invited to go 7 days of quarantine and a 314 square foot little room at Disney World. GM Ben, he would relocate our whole network to Disney World if it was up to him. He loves it that much. 53 days in there for me. I have not been back and I don’t know that I will ever go back. I’m not in a real rush to do that to to go back. But like I said, to have to have done it, it’s kind it’s kind of like an old an old joke among writers. I don’t remember who was who said this. It’s a famous quote. I should know who said it because it’s a famous quote. Basically to the effect that writing is really hard, but I love having written. You love when your writing is complete. I really love that I attended in the moment. It was it had a lot of challenges and I was only there 53 days. Guys like Chris Haynes, Mark Spears, they were there the whole time. Chris Haynes was there for like a hundred something days. So I I have nothing. I I can’t even register a quibble with my poultry 53 54 days. But it was just it was a once in a-lifetime thing. It’s hard to imagine the NBA ever having those circumstances again where it literally has to create its own planet in a way. Um, but a lot of a lot of memories are definitely coming back because that was such a it was a crazy time in all our lives. The NBA was escape was was an escape for a lot of us and so many things like just to be walking to be walking, you know, walking to the mail room or or the food room and Michael Malone just goes whizzing by on a bike, you know, just thing just just crazy stuff like that that would never you you can’t even imagine it happening. And um like I said, really glad I had the chance to do it. Did you get the invite to the Slav Boys hangout? No, that happened. I’m trying to think. Did that happen after I was gone? They had it in an area that the media was not allowed to go. What? I’m trying Unbelievable. Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, I mean that look there was there was the way it was set up. There was really only one hallway connected to the main hotel that the media could freely go and players would pass us that were and it was only players staying like the Mavs stayed at the second hotel which I can’t remember what it’s called now. Yacht Club had Yacht Club was like the 10 teams with the worst records and that’s the one that emptied the quickest. The Mavs were in another hotel that was completely off limits. Like the Mavs were playing pickle ball every day, but like I I we couldn’t get any we couldn’t get anywhere close to the hotel they were in. The main hotel that had the teams with roughly the 10 best records, I want to say that was the Grand Fian. There was a hallway that we could go and players would pass. and Chris Manx from Sports Illustrated and I, we just would, we laughed at each other because we would both just stalk that hallway way more than we were supposed to. Like, we weren’t supposed to, you weren’t supposed to just linger, but Manx and I would would camp out there every chance we could just to see who we would run into. Um, it it was crazy. I mean, it’s, you know, it it five years ago, but it feels like 500. Yeah. Daryl my interesting things to say the other day about the Lakers winning that championship from your time and your recollection. How does the league view that Lakers championship given the circumstances and how it fits fits in NBA history given u what they went through there? A lot of people do apply an asterisk and say it’s not the same. And the reason that is said is because there was no travel, no fans, and all the games were played in the same place. And you know, when you’re not flying, when you take the travel element out of the playoffs, that’s obviously a far different scenario than any normal season. Now the counterargument is all 22 teams in the bubble had to deal with those conditions and there were a lot of rules and restrictions and there was a mental tax by you know being in the bubble and having to adhere to all these regulations and the Lakers handled that the best and won. Now, I know at some point in the last 5 years, LeBron tried to make the case that it’s the greatest championship he’s ever won, the toughest championship he’s ever won. I’m certainly I’m certainly not co exist. 2016 does exist. I’m c I’m certainly not co-signing that, but like I I think it’s a debate that will always be there. Some are gonna. And look, I mean, I have to admit during these playoffs, I I did multiple interviews where I said I would talk about the people would ask about the Thunder, and it would it was routinely said, not just by me, the Thunder have no one with championship experience except Alice Caruso, who was part of the Lakers bubble team. But you would always you always throw in the bubble. Sorry guys, the bubble always gets mentioned. So, like I guess subconsciously I haven’t let it go either, but it’s a hard call. You know, everybody sees it the way they see it and it’s one of those things that I don’t know that we’ll ever get a definitive answer on. I do think it’s one of the most difficult rings that has ever been won because you mentioned the conditions in which the players were dealing with. You say Kevin relaxed. the guys were in, you know, rooms, they were in Disney, they were able to kind of roam around and do what they needed to do free of all the other distractions. Um, but to Shouldn’t that make it easier? I mean, you would think. Um, look, I mean, I can just I can just tell you my own experience. I, like I said, I was there for 53 53 days on day because I was working for the New York Times at the time and the Times was like, it’s two, you know, we’re gonna split it up. Scott Ciola, my longtime former Times colleague, he’s gonna come in and take your place. So, I was there till early September. My last day there was really momentous if I can um if I can toot my own horn just a touch. My last the last thing I did in the bubble was report that the Brooklyn Nets had hired a new coach named Steve Nash. And then Oh, wow. the league, that was my last morning there. The league arranged, you know, a a ride to take me to the airport. So, I had a very nice ride to the airport. Flew back Orlando to Dallas and I was so happy to have the ability now to do whatever I wanted without anyone. You know, I could go where I want. I literally got off the plane at DFW and I went to Papacitos in the A terminal and I ordered some nachos and scarf them down before going to baggage claim to pick up my bags just because it was the first time in almost two full months that I could just go to a restaurant and nobody could stop Like it’s a it’s it’s a ridiculous story. It’s a selfish story, but that’s the truth. Like I was just I was like I’m getting off this plane. I’m going to go to Papacitos and the league can’t stop me. And I had a quick 20 minute meal and made it to baggage claim in time and my bags are right there. Got my bags and went home. The idea of crushing a thing of nachos before getting your bags is kind of insane. It is. It is insane. It is selfish. It’s also textbook me. But like it’s true. It’s it’s like I said, I was just I was so in the bubble. Like again, they were very nice conditions. It’s not like they were they were l you know, they weren’t luxurious for the media. They were very nice for the media. They were luxurious for the players. All these teams brought in their own chefs. You know, they had real food. you know, they’re staying in nice hotels, like, you know, it’s not, it wasn’t, you know, I don’t want to make it sound like we were at the, you know, the Motel six or whatever. Yeah. But just not, we didn’t have freedoms, you know, you just couldn’t, you couldn’t like the media was restricted to a one square mile. The grounds we were restricted to was one square mile at Coronado Springs. Unbelievable times to look back on. Um, we really appreciate you hanging out with us uh through all out the rest the whole week. Can’t even talk. It’s Friday. Got to go. Um, but we appreciate you hanging out with us all week long here. We will talk to you at some point next week. Uh, Monday and Tuesday. I will be in studio. Whoa. Well, there we go. Let’s go. We’ll see you in studio next week then. Have a great rest of your weekend. All right, guys. Be good. Bye, Mark. That is our National NBA insider Mark Stein. Tana, let me ask you a question real quick. What’s up? Uh, on a scale of one to 10, how would you rate today’s show for us? Tanner. I mean, people love when we go off the rails. So, that was I mean, that made for some entertaining content, I would say. Okay. He didn’t give an answer. You see how what he Yeah, that was very diplomatic. Exactly. How many letter box stars would you give the show? Oh, you could you could log this. Are you going to log this on letter box? And what is your review going to say? Uh, yeah. Uh, three and a half stars, I guess. Wait, Taylor, have you have you seen Edington? No. I saw I saw Edington last night. Recommend. I liked it. But it’s it’s already Aster. So like yeah, honestly it’s like it’s like sneakily it’s his most normal movie. Just saying something, you know, like which does not mean it’s normal. It means that by a standard. Yeah, I was a big uh Midsummer guy and very entertaining, hereditary. I’m not really a a it’s not like that’s not like that was a good movie though like like objectively that that was that one was good. So So yeah, Walkane Phoenix most underrated director of or not director actor. Underrated not best but I I think I think he does not get the love he should. Sure. Got a lot of love from Joker but I see what you’re saying. More movie talk next week. Let’s do it. That’s right. Good point. Appreciate our guy Tanner making us look good and sound good and saving us all day here on the show. Really appreciate him. Uh we’ll be back next week here on the DLS Matters podcast. Our guy Mark St will be in studio with us uh next Monday and Tuesday. That’s our Mavericks beat writer Tim Ko. I’m your host Kevin Gray with an A. We’ll talk to you next week on the DLS MAS podcast. Y have a good rest of the weekend. We’ll talk to you later. Peace. [Music] [Applause] [Music]

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The Dallas Mavericks led by Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg have massive expectations this season. But where do they fit in the hierarchy of the NBA and in the Western Conference? The DLLS Mavs crew discusses that plus, Marc Stein joins the show with his latest news and notes on the Mavericks. And the guys play Mavs Fact or Fiction on some of the Mavericks most pressing topics!

#dallasmavs #nba #cooperflagg #anthonydavis #kyrieirving #dangelorussell #derecklively #pjwashington #danielgafford #klaythompson #najimarshall #jasonkidd

00:00 Intro
04:12 Where do Mavs fit in the hierarchy of the NBA?
18:53 Mavs “Fact or Fiction”
33:24 Marc Stein joins the show
34:14 What’s on Marc’s radar going into August?
47:08 Looking back on the NBA Bubble on its five-year anniversary

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