The Dallas Mavericks are confronting a grim financial picture that ESPN insider Bobby Marks believes is unlike anything the franchise has faced. During an appearance on the DLLS Dallas Mavericks Podcast, Marks outlined the Mavericks' growing concerns as they fall deeper into luxury tax territory while sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.
Marks did not hold back. He described the Mavericks' outlook as the most dire in team history and warned that the organization is headed toward an enormous financial penalty next season. He estimated that the Mavericks could face nearly 370 million dollars in combined salary and tax payments. Marks added that the projected tax penalty alone could reach 150 million dollars or more. The rising contracts for Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and P.J. Washington, along with a roster full of mid-level salaries and a lottery-level draft pick, have pushed the team closer to the restrictive second apron.
ESPN Front Office Insider Bobby Marks on the Mavericks financial situation now and into the future:
“It’s probably the most dire that it’s been ever in franchise history.” 😬 #MFFL
(🎥: @DLLS_Mavs) pic.twitter.com/mm84YHipTn
— Kevin Gray Jr. (@KevinGraySports) November 19, 2025
Dallas is already paying the luxury tax again and is likely to be a repeater tax team for the fourth time in five seasons. The second apron would limit many team-building options, including the ability to take back additional salary in trades. Dallas would be restricted to signing players through the veteran minimum exception. That's a difficult path for a team trying to rebuild around rookie standout Cooper Flagg.
The Mavericks' poor start adds even more urgency
The Mavericks' poor start adds even more urgency.
Jason Kidd’s group is off to a 4-11 start. Anthony Davis has appeared in only a few games due to injury, and Irving remains sidelined. The front office situation is unsettled after the firing of general manager Nico Harrison. Interim decision makers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have limited flexibility and restricted trade options until mid-December.
There are small bright spots. Flagg has shown promise as the potential future face of the franchise. Furthermore, Dallas owns its first-round pick in what is expected to be a strong 2026 draft class. Still, with limited draft capital and mounting expenses, the franchise may need to consider major moves. That includes a possible Davis trade. That move would help avoid being trapped near the bottom of the standings and deep inside the second apron for years to come.
