The Dallas Mavericks are looking to compete during the 2025-26 NBA season. The Mavs are expected to bounce back following a 2024-25 campaign that saw them get eliminated in the NBA Play-In Tournament. At the moment, Dallas is preparing for the upcoming season as the offseason moves forward. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are leading the way when it comes to offseason “bonding.”
The Mavs held a “bonding camp” earlier this month, Stein reports. Thompson was reportedly “urging” for this event to take place. Stein also reports that Davis hosted a dinner for his teammates.
Chemistry plays a pivotal role in team success. It's easy to place all of the focus on statistics, but what happens behind the scenes often leads to those stats. Davis and Thompson stepping into leadership roles is important.
The Mavericks' franchise was shaken in February of 2025 following the shocking Luka Doncic trade. Davis, of course, was traded to the Mavs as part of the deal. He is seemingly taking steps forward to assume a leadership role with his new team.
Kyrie Irving is another leader on the roster. However, he won't be able to lead from an on-court standpoint until later in the season, as Irving is not expected to return until early 2026 while recovering from ACL surgery. The Mavericks will need Davis and Thompson to lead the way to begin the season.
According to Stein's reporting, it seems as if both future Hall of Famers are already accepting the role during the NBA offseason.
