Editing Dallas Mavericks (section)

==== 2023–2024: Return to NBA Finals ====
With the 10th overall pick in the [[2023 NBA draft]], the Mavericks selected [[Cason Wallace]] who they immediately traded along with [[Davis Bertans]] to the Thunder for the 12th pick, [[Dereck Lively II]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=FOX 4 |date=June 23, 2023 |title=Mavs trade down in NBA Draft, acquire Dereck Lively II |url=https://www.fox4news.com/sports/mavs-trade-down-in-nba-draft-acquire-dereck-lively-ii |access-date=February 25, 2024 |website=FOX 4 |language=en-US}}</ref> The Mavericks also selected [[Olivier-Maxence Prosper]] with the 24th overall pick which they received through a salary dump of [[Richaun Holmes]] by the [[Sacramento Kings]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Afseth |first=Grant |date=July 6, 2023 |title=OFFICIAL: Mavs Trade for Kings' Richaun Holmes, OMax Prosper; Details |url=https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/news/dallas-mavs-sacramento-kings-trade-draft-richaun-holmes-olivier-maxence-prosper |access-date=February 25, 2024 |website=Sports Illustrated Dallas Mavericks News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref> Before the February 8, 2024, trade deadline, the Mavericks traded for [[P. J. Washington|P.J. Washington]] and two future second–round picks from the [[Charlotte Hornets]] in exchange for [[Seth Curry]], [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], and a 2027 first–round pick that is top 2 protected.<ref name="Sefko">{{cite web |last=Sefko |first=Eddie |date=February 8, 2024 |title=MAVERICKS ACQUIRE WASHINGTON, GAFFORD TO BOLSTER FRONT LINE |url=https://www.mavs.com/mavs-trades/ |access-date=February 8, 2024 |website=Mavs.com}}</ref> [[Daniel Gafford]] was also received from the [[Washington Wizards]] for [[Richaun Holmes]] and draft compensation.<ref name="Sefko" />

The Mavericks finished the 2023–2024 regular season as Southwest Division champions and as the 5th seed in the West with a 50–32 record.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2024 |title=Playoffs-bound Mavericks made good on promise to bounce back in 2024 |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nba/mavericks/dallas-mavericks-playoff-bound-season-recap/287-ffc850f5-7a75-4f33-8968-2b6c0890e724 |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The Mavericks would face the [[Los Angeles Clippers]] in the first round of the [[2024 NBA playoffs]] for the third time in five seasons, however this time the Mavs would avenge previous playoff defeats to the Clippers in 2020 and 2021 by winning the series 4–2.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 4, 2024 |title=National reaction to Mavericks' Game 6 knockout of Clippers: 'On to the next' |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/mavericks/2024/05/04/national-reactions-to-mavericks-game-6-knockout-of-clippers-on-to-the-next/ |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Duarte • • |first=Michael |date=May 4, 2024 |title=Clippers eliminated by Mavericks from NBA Playoffs with 114–101 loss in Game 6 |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/clippers-eliminated-by-mavericks-in-game-six/3404466/ |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=NBC Los Angeles |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Trigg |first=Dalton |date=May 4, 2024 |title=Luka Doncic & 'Kyrie Irving Chaos' Lead Mavs in Series-Clinching Game 6 Win vs. Clippers |url=https://athlonsports.com/nba/dallas-mavericks/dallas-basketball/news/luka-doncic-kyrie-irving-chaos-lead-dallas-mavs-series-clinching-game-6-win-la-clippers |access-date=May 6, 2024 |website=Athlon Sports |language=en}}</ref> They proceeded to then eliminate the one-seeded [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] in six games, winning the series-clinching Game 6 at home, 117–116.<ref name="ESPN.com2024">{{Cite web |date=May 19, 2024 |title=Mavs secure berth in WCF, get to 'keep hooping' |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40175879/dallas-mavericks-rally-eliminate-oklahoma-city-thunder |access-date=May 19, 2024 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=May 19, 2024 |title=PJ Washington's free throws send Dallas Mavericks past Thunder into West finals |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/article/2024/may/18/mavericks-thunder-nba-playoff-report |access-date=May 19, 2024 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The win allowed the Mavericks to advance to the [[NBA conference finals|Western Conference Finals]] for the second time in three years.<ref name="ESPN.com2024" /> In the Western Conference Finals, the Mavericks defeated the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] in five games to win their third Western Conference title in franchise history.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wolves Fall To Mavs In WCF Game Five, 124-103 |url=https://www.nba.com/timberwolves/news/wolves-fall-to-mavs-in-wcf-game-five-124-103 |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}</ref>

The Mavericks would go on to face the [[2023-24 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] in the [[2024 NBA Finals]], their first NBA Finals appearance since their 2011 victory. In those, the Mavericks lost in five games.<ref>{{cite web |title=Boston Celtics defeat Dallas Mavericks to win 2024 NBA Finals |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boston-celtics-beat-dallas-mavericks-2024-nba-finals/ |publisher=cbsnews.com |access-date=June 17, 2024 |date=June 17, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Where do Mavericks go from here after NBA Finals loss to Celtics? |url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-finals-whats-next-for-mavericks |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=NBA.com |language=en}}</ref> Their one win came from a [[2024 NBA Finals#Game 4|122–84 blowout]], the third-largest blowout in NBA Finals history.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mullin • • |first=Eric |date=June 14, 2024 |title=Put the brooms away: Mavs avoid sweep with historic Game 4 rout of Celtics in NBA Finals |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/dallas-mavericks/mavericks-blowout-celtics-nba-finals-game-4/3568568/ |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}}</ref>