Dallas Mavericks: Who Do You Wish the Mavs Kept?

The Dallas Mavericks have had some great players come and go throughout the young franchise’s history. If you could turn back the clock and choose one player in Mavs history to spend their whole career here, who would it be? Here are my top three choices.

Earlier this month, there was a tweet from Michael Dunlap (@DunlapSports) that had sports fans from all over the world responding. His tweet posed a simple question that had a lot of great answers that people disputed over. Not many of them could be considered bad answers, but a few stuck out over the rest.

The question was simply: If you could go back and take away the health issues of one athlete in history, who would it be and why? The debate took a turn from personal and became more about determining who the best athlete was that no one got to see perform to their actual abilities.

You can go back and give any single athlete a clean bill of health for their career. Who do you choose and why?
— Michael Dunlap (@DunlapSports) August 5, 2017

Some of the answers that appeared to be most obvious to people included Bo Jackson, Ken Griffey Jr., Bobby Orr, Mario Lemieux, Penny Hardaway, and Grant Hill. This post got me thinking about some of the Dallas area sports stars who had their careers cut short and I really struggled coming up with some names.

So, instead of presenting that question, I will give you one that is similar, but undoubtedly a debate we have all had in our time watching the Dallas Mavericks. Simply put, if you could go back and take one player that has worn a Mavs uniform in history and make him a Maverick for his entire career, who is it?

This type of question will give all kinds of results and each one probably has its place in the argument. However, I am going to tell you all who my top three in this category would be and why. Feel free to follow up with us on Twitter with your own picks as well.

Without further ado, here are my personal top three for the Dallas Mavericks career wish list. Keep in mind that this is only players who have suited up for the Mavs in at least one game. Injuries can count as a reason for not completing their career as well.

MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 22: Jason Kidd of the Milwaukee Bucks talks to the media durig a press conference after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against the Toronto Raptors during the 2017 NBA Playoffs on April 22, 2017 at BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jeffrey Phelps/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. Roy Tarpley

This one is a little different because Tarpley played every active season of his career with the Dallas Mavericks and played well while here. The difference is that Tarpley’s career was cut short with a substance abuse problem. In his first 5 seasons, Tarpley was a great player for the Mavs, including winning the sixth man of the year award in 1987-88.

Had Tarpley not missed three full seasons with his substance abuse problems, who knows what could have been with his career. He did come back for one more season in 1994-95 and had a pretty good year but was not nearly the same player as before. He could have been one of the greats of the Mavericks.

2. Jason Kidd

Dallas Mavericks

For anyone who doesn’t remember, Jason Kidd had two stints with the Dallas Mavericks. In his first two and a half years as a Maverick, it was clear that Kidd was going to be a star. However, with obvious hangups between he and then head coach, Don Nelson, the Mavs decided to trade Jason Kidd.

Kidd went on to have a Hall of Fame career and is near the top of the list in career assists and steals. It is hard to say if that would have been the same for a full career in Dallas, but it is nice to think about how it all could’ve gone. Of course, we were blessed to have him for a couple great years at the end of his career. This is the reason he is number two on the list.

1. Steve Nash

This one should probably be obvious I feel like. Nash was one of the best point guards to ever suit up in Dallas and he was one of the best teammates that Dirk Nowitzki ever had. Had these two been able to play the primes of their careers together, there is no telling what Dallas could have been capable of. Nash and Dallas had all the makings of being a perfect pair.

Then, in 2004, disaster struck as Mark Cuban and Nash apparently had a bit of a falling out and Nash signed with the Phoenix Suns. He went on to have an amazing career and should be viewed as one of the best point guards to ever play the game. He and Dirk would have been the real deal.

Next: Are Positional Concerns a Big Hang-up for Mavs and Noel?

There are other players who played for the Mavericks for a short time that definitely have their case on the list, but I don’t believe that any of them should be higher than Steve Nash. Who are your picks for the Mavs that didn’t last?

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