Dallas Mavericks: What if Steve Nash never left in 2004?

Dallas Mavericks: Potential positive outcomes if Nash stayed in Dallas

Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash were traded to the Mavs on the same exact night during the 1998 NBA draft. That is one of the best days in team history. The Mavericks essentially acquired two of the top 30 players all-time. Building off of that, the Mavericks could have created the next one-two punch right after Shaq and Kobe split up.

There is no world where having two Hall of Famers on the same team is a bad idea. Critics will say that the Mavericks could not have won because both Dirk and Nash were liabilities on defense. The Mavs won the championship with Dirk, Jason Terry, and an old Jason Kidd playing heavy minutes who were all defensive liabilities.

Steve Nash would make everyone around him better. Dirk created space, so role players could thrive. There is no doubt that had Nash stayed with Dirk, he would have won a championship. Nash was the master of the pick and roll and nobody would have been able to stop the Dallas Mavericks.

In the middle 2000s, the Mavs and Suns were reaching the Western Conference Finals with Dirk and Nash alone. Dallas may have won multiple rings with the pair. The excitement and expectations that Mavericks fans are experiencing now with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis are less than what it would have been in 2005.

Finally, to be totally clear Nash leaving Dallas was not totally his fault. Marc Cuban did not offer Nash the contract he wanted so the Mavericks could sign Eric Dampier. Everyone knows how that one turned out, and it is unfortunate. Luckily, the Mavericks were able to get themselves a title in 2011. Hopefully, Nash can secure one with the Nets in the near future.