Ranking 15 worst Mavericks starters of the Dirk Nowitzki era

2. Danny Fortson

The Mavs acquired Fortson in 2003 as part of the nine-player trade that brought Antwan Jamison to Dallas. The 6’7 big man was entering his seventh year in the NBA which featured highs and lows. The tenth overall pick in 1997 was limited by injuries, but his physical play and toughness made him a force on the floor. He played just 100 games in his last three seasons before arriving in Dallas, and the Mavericks were not expecting much.

Fortson played one forgettable season in Dallas. He averaged 3.9 points and 4.5 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game over 56 contests, including 20 starts. His most memorable moment in a Mavericks uniform was pushing Suns rookie Zarko Cabarkapa and causing him to break his wrist. The flagrant foul earned Fortson a three-game suspension and the ire of then-Suns owner Jerry Colangelo.

Danny Fortson was axed from the playoff rotation as the Dallas Mavericks were bounced in the first round by the Sacramento Kings. They traded him to Seattle for Calvin Booth in the 2004 offseason.

Fortson played three more years in the NBA but made just seven starts and continued playing just over ten minutes per game. The Mavs knew he was not a starter, which made opening 20 games with him on the floor a head-scratcher.