The Mavericks have set their training camp schedule and Dusty May’s first days as an NBA head coach will be busy, to say the least.
The first of six practices at the renovated Mavericks’ training facility will be on Saturday, Sept. 26. There will be six days of practice through Oct. 3 before the Mavericks begin a grueling stretch of travel when they go to Macao, China, for two preseason games against the Houston Rockets. They will return after the second game on Oct. 11 for two more exhibitions, both at American Airlines Center.
Any teams traveling outside North America in the preseason are allowed to commence training camp one week earlier than the Sept. 29 start date for all other teams.
The Mavericks elected to wait until the 25th to have their media-day obligations, with camp opening the following day.
It will be a new process for both players and coaching staff. The Mavericks announced May’s assistant coaches earlier this week, headlined by lead assistant Willie Green, who was head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans from 2021-25. Along with Green, longtime NBA player Garrett Temple and Joe Boylan will be front-of-the-bench assistant coaches.
The regular season opener is Oct. 21 at Houston with the home opener against San Antonio on Oct. 24.
And now, your 2026-27 Mavericks, by the numbers:
Players: 15 on standard contracts, three on two-way deals (both the maximum allowed on opening day).
Average age of standard contract players on opening day: 24.93 years.
Average height: 6 feet, 7.7 inches.
Tallest: Dereck Lively II, 7-1.
Shortest: Marcus Sasser, 6-1.
Average weight: 216.2 pounds.
Heaviest: Daniel Gafford, 265.
Lightest: Max Christie, 190.
Average NBA experience: 4.2 years.
Playoff experience: Kyrie Irving, 96 games; Caleb Martin, 45 games; Daniel Gafford, 27 games; P.J. Washington, 22 games; Dereck Lively II, 21 games; Santi Aldama, 10 games; Naji Marshall, 10 games; Max Christie, nine games; Marcus Sasser, six games; Jett Howard, four games; Zaccharie Risacher, three games; Moussa Cissé, Tarik Biberović, Morez Johnson Jr., Sergio de Larrea, Tobi Lawal, 0 each.
U.S. players: Nine – Cooper Flagg (born in Maine), Max Christie (Illinois), Daniel Gafford (Arkansas), Dereck Lively II (Pennsylvania), P.J. Washington (Kentucky), Naji Marshall (New Jersey), Caleb Martin (North Carolina), Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois), Marcus Sasser (Texas).
International players: Six, representing Guinea (Moussa Cissé), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Tarik Biberović), Spain (Santi Aldama, Sergio de Larrea, Zaccharie Risacher) and Australia (Kyrie Irving).
New players this season: Six – Morez Johnson Jr., Marcus Sasser, Tarik Biberović, Santi Aldama, Sergio de Larrea, Zaccharie Risacher.
Players gone from last season’s final roster: Seven, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Khris Middleton, Ryan Nembhard, Dwight Powell, Klay Thompson, Brandon Williams.
Colleges producing more than one current Maverick: Duke, three (Kyrie Irving, Cooper Flagg, Dereck Lively II); Michigan, two (Morez Johnson Jr., Jett Howard).
Preseason games: Four (Oct. 9 and 11 vs. Houston at Macao, China, Oct. 14 vs. New Orleans (AAC), Oct. 16 vs. Atlanta (AAC).
X: @ESefko