News ArticlePublishedJul 07, 2026 at 01:54 PM EDTThe Dallas Mavericks are heading back to Las Vegas with a roster that has a little bit of everything: a prized rookie, a few familiar faces and enough young talent to make July basketball feel a little more important than usual.The headline act is the team's No. 9 overall pick Morez Johnson Jr., who will get his first taste of Mavericks basketball when Dallas opens Summer League play on Thursday, July 9, against the Golden State Warriors. And guess what? Johnson's first opponent will be Yaxel Lendeborg, his former Michigan teammate and fellow lottery pick. College friendships tend to disappear for about 40 minutes when the ball goes up, but you can bet there will be a few extra smiles and a little extra talking before and after.More sports n