Crafting the Mavericks' ultimate all-time starting lineup based on a single season

The Dallas Mavericks have had many talented players play for the franchise that put up incredible seasons over the years. And as every Mavs fan knows, some seasons are better than others.

From each decade, the Mavericks have had their superstar player rise to the occasion, lead the team in significant categories, and help the Mavericks win games and even reach the NBA Finals three different times.

Picking one season from all the others can be tough to choose from based on the players and the season they had. However, making a Mavericks all-time starting lineup based on a single season would be a tough one to beat.

Building a Mavericks all-time starting lineup based on one season

All five players would be playing at their set position. All five of these players contributed big time for a Mavericks season that the franchise won't forget for years to come.

Each of these players is a Mavericks legend, and their names will be etched into Mavs history forever.

Point guard - Luka Doncic, 2023-24

You can't talk about putting together a Mavericks all-time starting lineup without having superstar Luka Doncic on there. Since first playing with the Mavericks in the 2018-19 season, Doncic has become the franchise player.

However, out of all his seasons in Dallas, the best one to put Doncic in the all-time starting lineup is his 2023-24 season. Doncic had the best season of his career in the 2023-24 season and showed the world how great he can truly be.

Doncic would lead the NBA in scoring for the first time in his career averaging 33.9 points per game. Doncic would also average over nine rebounds and assists per game to go with his elite scoring.

Despite the best season of his career, it wasn't enough for Doncic to win MVP for the first time. Doncic seemingly used that as motivation and helped the Mavericks reach the 2024 NBA Finals (although his main focus always remains on winning).

Doncic will go down as one of the best Mavericks in franchise history. The scary part for the NBA is that Doncic is still in his prime and has many more spectacular seasons to come.

Shooting guard - Kyrie Irving, 2023-24

The Dallas Mavericks made a blockbuster trade in the 2022-23 season to acquire superstar point guard Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets. While the Mavericks didn't make the playoffs in 2023, Irving responded in the following 2023-24 season.

In his first full season in Dallas, Irving averaged 25.6 points per game. Irving shot an impressive 41 percent from three to help his scoring abilities. Irving also added five rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

After the regular season, Irving carried his game into the 2024 playoffs with Doncic. Irving helped the Mavericks reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.

A dominant first full season in Dallas was desperately needed for Irving after all the criticism surrounding him before joining the team and during his first half-season in Dallas. Irving has matured in Dallas and helped be a leader for Doncic, and Dallas has become the right team for Irving to play for.

Small forward - Mark Aguirre, 1983-84

Before Doncic and Irving were scoring for the Mavericks in the 2020s, there was Mark Aguirre in the 1980s. The younger generation might not know who Aguirre is, but his legacy in Dallas was a great one.

In eight seasons in Dallas in the 1980s, Aguirre made three All-Star games. The best season of Aguirre's career came with the Mavericks in the 1983-83 season.

Aguirre averaged an impressive 29.5 points per game and was the most important player on the Mavericks all season. Aguirre's season helped the Mavericks reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

The Mavericks won their first playoff series in the first round of the 1984 playoffs against the Seattle SuperSonics. Although the Mavericks were eliminated in the next round by the Los Angeles Lakers, Aguirre's huge season helped the Mavericks make the playoffs for the first time ever.

Power forward - Dirk Nowitzki, 2006-07

Of course, the best Maverick of all-time Dirk Nowitzki has to be on the list at the power forward position. With 21 seasons to choose from, one season might stick out above all for Nowitzki.

That would be the 2006-07 season. Nowitzki became the first Maverick in franchise history to win league MVP.

Nowitzki averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game to go with his 42 percent 3-point shooting to help the Mavericks have the best record in the NBA with a 67-15 record.

Although people will always remember the "We Believe" Golden State Warriors upsetting the Mavericks in the first round of the 2007 playoffs, fans can't deny Nowitzki's MVP season was a good one.

Center - Kristaps Porzingis, 2019-20

The center position has been a struggling position for the Mavericks throughout history. Although Tyson Chandler is a fan favorite, he only spent two seasons with the Mavericks on two stints. James Donaldson was a one-time All-Star, and he only averaged seven points per game in that season.

At the center position, Kristaps Porzingis' 2019-20 season would be a strong season to select. The 2019-20 season was Porzingis' first season in Dallas as he was out for the entire 2018-19 season after an ACL injury and was traded by the New York Knicks to the Mavericks during the middle of the season.

In the 2019-20 season, Prozingis averaged 20.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, and two blocks per game. Porzingis helped a 20-year-old Doncic and the Mavericks make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Despite the Mavericks being eliminated in the first round of the 2020 playoffs, the 2019-20 season felt as a growing one for the future that bigger things were yet to come.

Although Porzingis' tenure in Dallas ended roughly with being traded in the middle of the 2021-22 season, Porzingis did average over 20 points per game in both of his full seasons with the Mavericks. However, Porzingis' 2019-20 season is the best to choose from.