Whether it be by developing rookie phenom Cooper Flagg or improving their odds at the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery, the Dallas Mavericks (21-37) have their eye on the future. Following an abysmal stretch that has seen them lose 11 out of their last 13 games, they no longer have realistic playoff hopes for this season.
The organization is asking its fan base to remain patient during a painful yet somewhat optimistic time. Such a request comes with the understanding that it would be borderline criminal to raise ticket prices.
During Thursday's 130-121 home loss versus the Sacramento Kings, Mavericks CEO Rick Welts revealed that majority owner Patrick Dumont is keeping ticket costs as is for the 2026-27 campaign.
“It was one of the strangest meetings I've ever been in my 48 years in the league where you sit down with the owners,” Welts said on the Mavs' broadcast. “The staff has done two months of work to look for little areas here or there where tickets might be underpriced, even when you're in a year when you're not going to raise many prices.
“Patrick preempted the conversation before we could even get started and just said, ‘look, we didn't deliver this year. We didn't deliver on the team that we expected. We're not going to raise one ticket price for next year.' Obviously a popular decision but the right one as well.”
Are the Mavericks taking a step in the right direction?
Dallas raised prices for season-ticket holders after it traded franchise centerpiece Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last year, so it is good to know that Dumont has learned something during his brief but tumultuous ownership reign. Nobody deserves a pat on the back, though. This is the bare minimum the Mavericks can do after gambling on their future and proceeding to plunge down the Western Conference standings.
It will be a while before the organization regains the trust it lost with its fans, but Mavs brass must avoid angering the city any further. This is a good start. If Flagg continues to ascend and winds up leading the franchise back to the playoffs in the near future, Patrick Dumont and company will probably not hesitate to hike up ticket prices again. But there is no reason to jump ahead.
Dallas has much to do this offseason. Even a healthy Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg will need some help if they are going to make genuine noise in the trying West. Thanks to this decision, fans might now have a bit more faith that the Mavericks will do what is necessary to quickly improve the basketball product.
For the first time since possibly arriving in town, ownership is expressing self-awareness. Let the road to redemption begin.
