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Mike Curtis: The #Mavs have officially announced they will hold their annual media day next Friday, Sept. 25 at 10 a.m. Masai Ujiri, Dusty May and players will be in attendance. Training camp practices will begin the following day as the team prepares for the 2026 NBA China Games.
Dirk Nowitzki: "Everybody knows that I pulled back there for a while. There were some things done that I didn't agree with and I kind of just pulled back from the franchise. But I know Masai for a long, long time. We've already had some discussions on what's going to transpire in the future and he obviously wants me to be a part of the Mavericks. But all these things are very early and very soon. Of course, I have my job as an analyst and with FIBA I'm on the board, so I travel a ton. There's nothing really imminent here in the near future, but I'll always, as we know, a Maverick for life."
After the Melo trade, did you feel you had to justify being traded for him, and how did you face the challenges in Denver, including the 57-win season, George Karl's Coach of the Year award, and his subsequent departure? Danilo Gallinari: Yeah, when Masai Ujiri and coach Karl talk about it, they blame it on me because I tore my ACL right before the playoffs that season, and then we lost against Golden State, and we were supposed to go all the way to the Finals, and so after the season, if I don't get injured, the season goes differently, and coach Karl being the Coach of the Year and Masai being the GM of the Year maybe they have a different path. The Nuggets have a different path, but that's another huge what-if. But I had a great time in Denver; it was the only team that I played for more than two years. I played there six and a half seasons, so it's definitely the city and the team that I'm closer to. And so I had a great time in Denver.
Teams across the league are intrigued by how, or if, the 34-year-old Kyrie Irving fits in the Mavericks' long-term plans as the franchise prioritizes building around its teenage prodigy. A healthy Irving, who has averaged 25.5 points and 5.1 assists per game in a Mavs uniform, could be a prime target for contenders before the trade deadline if new Dallas president Masai Ujiri is willing to engage in those discussions. -- Tim MacMahon
In an interview with DLLS Mavs, Nowitzki shared that he had discussions with Ujiri on a potential comeback to the franchise. "Everybody knows that I pulled back there for a while, there was some things done that I didn't agree with and I kind of just pulled back from the franchise. But I know Masai for a long time. We've already had some discussions on what's going to transpire in the future and he obviously wants me to be a part of the Mavericks," Nowitzki detailed.
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Barry Jackson: Klay is free to sign with Heat after 5 p.m. Sunday. Mavs president/basketball ops Masai Ujuri, in announcing Klay's buyout today: "Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization. We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward." (Mavs were agreeable to buyout after he expressed interest in playing for a contender.)
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that the team has reached a buyout agreement with guard/forward Klay Thompson. Thompson (6-6, 220) appeared in 141 games (80 starts) in his two seasons with Dallas and averaged 12.9 points on 40.3% shooting from the field and 38.7% from three. “Klay is one of the great players and competitors of his generation, and we are grateful for everything he brought to the Mavericks organization,” said Mavericks President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri. “We have tremendous respect for Klay and all that he has accomplished throughout his career, and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Kevin Gray of DLLS Sports: Have you had a chance to talk with Masai Ujiri and discuss what your plan and your role is going to be with this team this year? PJ Washington: Yeah, definitely. Masai's a great guy. I think he's amazing to be here. He's done amazing things for the organization already, so I spoke to him and my role is going to be a leader. Obviously, going out each and every night. Just being myself, being aggressive both ends of the floor, and trying to lead as much as I can this year using my voice and just be the best vet I can for the young guys.
Marc Stein: The new NBA schedule calls for Luka Dončić to make his lone Dallas visit of the season on his birthday: Feb. 28. The now-Masai Ujiri-led Mavericks make their lone Toronto visit Jan. 27. Dallas' home opener is Oct. 24 against San Antonio after road dates in Houston and Indiana.
“I have spoken on the phone once with Masai [Ujiri] for about 120 seconds,” Cuban continued, in response to emailed questions from The News. “Same with Patrick [Dumont]; day of [Ujiri’s] hiring. “I’ve had two texts with Masai, both I think maybe 2 or 3 word responses, a couple with no response. Which is fine. His choice. I absolutely expected it when they hired Masai. That’s why they hired him. To run basketball. “Fans are excited to see what happens and as a Mavs fan, so am I.”
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Shams Charania: "My understanding is Kyrie Irving's rehab has gone amazing. There was a sense during last season that, you know, if the Mavericks were playing at a very competitive level, like Kyrie Irving could have potentially come back in December, January, but given the way the season was going, and it obviously didn't make sense for the Mavericks either to rush Kyrie Irving back onto the floor. But from my understanding, he's fully recovered, 100% with that ACL tear from a couple seasons ago. He's been fully entrenched in the Mavericks' plans this offseason. Him and Dusty May, they've spoken, him and Masai Ujiri, the new president, they've spoken, Mike Schmitz, their new general manager, has spoken with Kyrie Irving as well. So they're entering next season, Patrick Dumont, the owner, he really wants to see Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg in this team next season and how that duo looks because, you know, Kyrie Irving is the other statesman of this team."
Josh Lewenberg: Should also note, as I have before: in 13 years under this Masai Ujiri and now Bobby Webster-led front office, the Raptors have never moved multiple 1st-round picks in a trade. Don't expect them to do it for a 35-year-old Kawhi Leonard.
Mavericks president Masai Ujiri has interest in reuniting with Kawhi Leonard, multiple league sources with knowledge of Dallas’ thinking told The Athletic. The Mavericks and LA Clippers have discussed a deal that would send the seven-time All-Star Leonard to Dallas for a package that would include P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft picks, league sources said.
Mike Curtis: Asked Masai Ujiri about hiring Dusty May as Mavs coach: “Dusty stood out in many ways. I saw him in Chicago in the predraft camp & observed him. Talking to people & it’s a different ball game with NIL & college & how you operate with youth. It’s almost like a professional league in college. Many things translate.”