Dallas Mavericks: 3 big questions heading into 2018-19 NBA season

2. Will the Mavericks compete or tank?

The front office for the Dallas Mavericks will have a tough decision to make this season. The team may spend part of its season in tension. Will the Mavs be competitive with the vamped up roster? Or, will they aim to land in the bottom-five of the league in hopes of retaining their 2019 top-five protected draft pick?

Hoopshype.com claims that the Mavericks only have $45.9 million in salary dedicated to the 2019-20 season. To bring in a big-name free agent, which may be their goal, the team has to show some signs of competitiveness. It is hard to imagine a 2019 free agent such as Klay Thompson wanting to switch from the contending Golden State Warriors to a struggling Western Conference competitor.

On the other hand, the Mavericks could bring in another top rookie talent to turn the Smith and Doncic duo into a trio. To do this, they must be one of the five worst teams in the league. Will Mark Cuban want to tank in what may be Nowitzki’s last season? Or will his fiery, winning mentality manifest itself on the court?

Recall what Cuban once told Julius Erving on his podcast. Cuban told his players:

"“Losing is our best option. Adam [Silver] would hate hearing that…we want the players to understand.”"

Will this option be enacted again? If so, it could have drastic consequences on their ability to reel in a big fish next offseason. Check back in on this team after playing about a quarter of the season. By then, the Mavs should know what type of club they have, and the rest of their season could be planned accordingly.