Mavs rookies De Larrea, Johnson expected to be in opening-night rotation

Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May is expected to have both of his 2026 draft picks in the rotation when the team opens its season Wednesday against the Houston Rockets, according to Christian Clark.

Sergio De Larrea, the 6’6″ point guard taken 25th overall, had an intriguing preseason, playing four games and averaging 9.5 points, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block in 25.5 minutes per game while hitting 8-of-12 from three-point range. With Kyrie Irving in and out of the lineup, De Larrea’s 20 total assists led the team in the preseason. The Mavericks are relatively thin in the backcourt, and Clark says he would not be surprised if the rookie is in May’s opening-night rotation.

Dallas’ other rookie, Morez Johnson Jr., appeared in only two preseason games as he dealt with a lower-body injury, but May seems to highly value his motor and ability to read both ends of the floor. Johnson’s mobility allowed May to experiment with a switch-heavy defense, which should give him interesting moments alongside Cooper Flagg, who is similarly versatile on defense. Despite playing just 26.3 total minutes in the preseason, Johnson is fully expected to be part of the rotation on Wednesday.