Dallas Mavericks 2022-23 Season Preview and Best Bet (Odds, Offseason Moves and More)

The Dallas Mavericks made a decision last year to fully embrace "Luka Ball," trading away Kristaps Porzingis to construct a roster that more suitably complemented their generational megastar.

It worked. No NBA team won more games following the All-Star break than the Luka Dončić's Mavs, then Dallas toppled the No. 1 seed Phoenix Suns en route to a Western Conference Finals run.

In the Mavericks' 17-6 run after the break, Luka averaged 30.2 points, 9.0 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game while shooting 47.3% from the field and 38.5% from beyond the arc. If the 23-year-old can maintain anything close to that level of production over a full season, Dallas will emerge as legitimate contenders to win the West.

By letting Jalen Brunson walk while trading for an athletic, floor-spacing big man in Christian Wood, the Mavs doubled-down on their commitment to Dončić. Their chips are quite literally all in one basket.

It's a pretty big basket though, and Luka seems primed to take another leap forward. Was Dallas' bet on Dončić a smart one? Or will it regret not diversifying its investment portfolio a bit?

Let's take a look at their offseason moves before my best bet on the 2022-23 Dallas Mavericks:

Dallas Mavericks Offseason Moves and Additions

Mavericks Roster Additions:

• Christian Wood (Trade)

• Jaden Hardy (Draft)

• JaVale McGee (Free Agency)

Mavericks Roster Losses:

• Jalen Brunson (Free Agency)

Dallas Mavericks Odds to Win NBA Championship, Make Playoffs and Win Total

• Odds to Win NBA Finals: +2700

• Odds to Win Western Conference: +1200

• Odds to Make Playoffs: -500

• Win Total: 48.5 (Over -110/Under -110)

Dallas Mavericks Best Bet for 2022-23 NBA Season

The question for Dallas entering the NBA season is two-fold: how far can Luka carry the Mavericks and how much will they miss Jalen Brunson?

There's a value in having a player who can effectively run the show for long stretches while Dončić rests or take a break. He's only 23, but the Mavericks won't do themselves much good if they run him into the ground before the playoffs start. If I'm being honest though, it looks like Dallas is going to test the strength of its hero's cape.

Luka is on a historic, all-time great type of pace. Dallas will clear this win total with ease if the Mavs are content to play a healthy Dončić without restriction, and I'd take a long look at his MVP futures too. When Dallas just clears out and lets Luka be Luka, they're among the NBA's best teams.

He's just that good. Outside of Dončić, the Mavericks did make one particularly intriguing acquisition in an otherwise uninspiring offseason.

Wood has a chance to be the kind of player Dallas hoped Porzingis would be: a bullying floor-spacer with defensive chops and hustle. If Wood stays engaged, he can grow into a perfect puzzle piece next to Luka.

The Mavs' approach is like entering a food competition. Instead of trying to craft a diverse meal with different courses, Dallas said, "We have the best steak around, let's do everything we can to compliment that steak."

I don't know if it can lead to a championship, but that great steak alone should help it clear this win total with ease.