The Dallas Mavericks are facing one of the biggest offseasons in franchise history. They hold three draft picks, which will be the last time they control their first-round pick until 2031. They have financial flexibility to improve their roster via trades or free agency for the first time in a long time.

That gives the front office a lot of pathways it can take to improve the roster. However, there are a lot of players who need to take their own steps forward. Most of last year’s roster is still under contract for next season, and while trades or cuts could always happen, a good chunk of the 2025-26 roster will be back.

Of the players under contract for next season, which one needs a big offseason if the Mavericks are going to bounce back into contention?

There are a lot of people who deserve an argument. While Cooper Flagg had an outstanding rookie season, the team will likely only go as far as he takes them. Ryan Nembhard is currently in line to be the backup point guard. Kyrie Irving hasn’t played basketball since March of 2025, and the Mavs will need him to be in top form. P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall could use a jump in three-point shooting. Max Christie needs to increase his volume. Despite all of those, there is one player whose offseason stands out more than anyone else.

Dereck Lively II’s Recovery Will Control Mavericks’ Narrative Next Season

Dereck Lively II only played in 7 games last season before he needed season-ending foot surgery. He’s entering the fourth year of his career already, but injuries have dominated his progression. He was incredibly impactful in his rookie season, especially during the team’s run to the NBA Finals, but he’s played in just 43 games in the two seasons since.

It’s safe to say that if they want to get back into the postseason next year, Dereck Lively will have to be a big part of that. Daniel Gafford is a good player, but Dallas needs the center rotation of Gafford and Lively to take advantage of their effectiveness.

Lively’s ceiling as a player can open up a lot for the offense, especially with his passing. Dallas found a lot of success with him short rolling off a screen and spraying out to a shooter or finding a cutter. Last year’s offense was a train wreck in terms of playmaking, and having a center like Lively who can just pass to an open man would be huge.

Even as he recovers, Lively needs to be more disciplined with his fouling, and he needs to keep developing his touch around the rim.

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When our Miami Dolphins are struggling, the attendance of their games at home naturally dips quite a bit. This, of course, comes with the territory, especially for the fans that reside in South Florida, where there’s always plenty of other things you can be doing with your time and money almost any day of the year. Now, though, we are facing a new season, and we do not expect the team to be great, but due to the new regime and the massive overhaul of the roster, there is, at the very least, a ton of curiosity among many of us fans. We all want to see what theis new coaching staff and new players will give us even if the final product is still at least another season or a couple of seasons away.

So this evenings Phinsider Question Of The Day is:

Which of you will, or will try to either go to a home and/or away Miami Dolphins game in person for this upcoming season?

Please share your thoughts and answers in the comments section below-

ATLANTA – A grieving community gathered alongside a heartbroken family Sunday afternoon to honor a beloved woman killed in a random knife attack on a MARTA train.

What we know:

Community members and family gathered Sunday afternoon for a vigil to remember 66-year-old Margaret Swan, who was killed on a MARTA train a little over a week ago. Over 100 people joined Swan’s family to pay their respects to the mother and grandmother.

Swan was violently and randomly stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack. Police have arrested and charged 25-year-old John Elijah Matthews with her murder. Swan’s family shared that she had been watching her grandchild just before boarding the train.

What they’re saying:

Family members and community advocates expressed immense grief and called for immediate safety changes across the transit network during Sunday’s gathering.

Wynecia Patterson, an advocate with the Atlanta People’s Campaign, spoke on the collective pain felt by the neighborhood.

“All the tragic things that have been going on in our community, and we feel like we are falling short with our people, and we want to bring light on the tragedies going on,” Patterson said.

Swan’s daughters, Shanae and Tiara Sams, expressed deep heartbreak and demanded increased security to prevent future violence on transit lines.

“Everybody should be protected and safe being on public transit,” Shanae Sams said. “We all use public transit from time to time, but we shouldn’t be in fear if we will make it or not on the train. They need to be patrolling the trains like they used to years ago.”

Tiara Sams remembered her mother’s character and noted the ongoing shock of the loss, particularly knowing the suspect remains behind bars.

“My mom was very kindhearted, brave. She was a phenomenal woman, and she always wanted to help people and for people to be good,” Tiara Sams said. “Yesterday I wanted to just even call her, but I had to remind myself she’s not here. Then like it’s been hard because he’s still alive, he’s still here, and he is in protected custody. He is protected.”

She added her disbelief regarding the unprovoked nature of the crime.

“I don’t think it’s right for someone to prey on someone that didn’t do anything to them,” Tiara Sams said.

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