Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George shared high praise for the Dallas Mavericks lineup during a recent episode of Podcast P, presented by Wave Original, highlighting the team’s depth and versatility.
On the show, George detailed what makes Dallas a threat in the Western Conference. “You don’t minimize what Luka [Doncic] has done for that franchise,” he said. “But when you think about a team being constructed with what Cooper [Flagg] can bring, with a healthy Kyrie [Irving] coming back, D-Lo [D’Angelo Russell] proven to be a veteran point guard, you still got one of the best elite shooters in Klay [Thompson] and then one of the most efficient bigs we’ve seen in Gafford, not to mention a top-5 player in AD [Anthony Davis], and with that, their bench is pretty strong.”
George complimented the Mavericks’ supporting cast, mentioning Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively as key bench contributors. He added, “They have a really good roster when healthy and everybody is kind of clicking. I like what Dallas got.”
The Mavericks enter the 2025–26 NBA season with a revamped roster that features top overall pick Cooper Flagg from Duke. They won the NBA Draft Lottery despite long odds, securing the No. 1 pick after trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers earlier this year.
Dallas finished 39–43 last season and exited in the Play-In Tournament. Since then, general manager Nico Harrison has reshaped the roster around Flagg, Irving, Thompson, and Davis.
Former NBA player and analyst Jim Jackson also chimed in during the episode, defending Harrison’s moves. “I think [Nico] got unfairly criticized,” Jackson said. “When you made the Gafford trade, when you make the Lively trade, when you got Klay, they patted you on the back. When you got Kyrie, they patted you on the back. So when Luka came, you got to take that side of it too.”
With Flagg’s arrival and a mix of veteran talent, head coach Jason Kidd now has one of the league’s deepest rosters. The Mavericks are expected to compete in the West if they stay healthy and find chemistry.
