A Q&A with Rebecca Lawson of SB Nation’s Mavericks site Mavs Moneyball.

What needs to happen for this to be an enjoyable season for Mavericks fans?

The team needs to play hard and develop. As Dallas retools for life after Dirk Nowitzki, good performances from guys like Dennis Smith Jr., Nerlens Noel, and Harrison Barnes will alleviate stress about the future.

Also, a handful of throwback Dirk games, please and thank you.

Dallas Mavericks / Projected Starters
Position	Starters	Bench
Guards	Dennis Smith Jr. Seth Curry (injured)	Yogi Ferrell J.J. Barea Devin Harris
Wings	Harrison Barnes Wesley Matthews	Dorian Finney-Smith
Bigs	Dirk Nowitzki	Nerlens Noel Dwight Powell Salah Mejri Josh McRoberts Maxi Kleber

What makes Mavericks fans most excited about this year? What makes Mavericks fans most nervous?

We’re most excited for the Dennis Smith Jr. Show. Dallas hasn't had a rookie with this much promise in a long time, and he's already generating Rookie of the Year buzz after his Summer League performance.

As for most nervous? Mavs fans are praying to the basketball gods that Dirk stays healthy and can finish his career the way he wants and deserves.

Gut Check

Survey data collected from site writers and editors. The wider the graph the more optimism and trust the fans have in their team! The grey line indicates the average of all sites' collected data.

4.2

Out of 10

How good will your team be this year

6.6

Out of 10

Are they on the rise or on the decline

6.7

Out of 10

Are fans happy with the team’s direction or angry

2.7

Out of 10

Are they trying to win now or build for the future

What storyline might a national audience be missing about the Mavericks?

Quietly lost in the Dennis Smith Jr. hype is that the Mavs had two pretty talented guards last year: Yogi Ferrell and Seth Curry. As Smith is learning his role, we'll also be watching to see if Yogi can take another step and if the younger Curry can earn a big payday in a contract year, once he recovers from a leg injury.

Why should neutrals pay attention to the Mavericks this year?

Two words: Dirk Nowitzki. He's one of the last greats of his generation still at it, and he still goes at it pretty well most nights. Watch and marvel.

What's your prediction for the season?

36-46, 11th in the Western Conference. The Mavs will be a fun team and pull off the occasional upset, but in the end they're still rebuilding.