16 Players the Dallas Mavericks gave up on way too soon

The Dallas Mavericks are looking to win their second title in franchise history. They rewarded Dirk Nowitzki’s loyalty by building a championship roster around him in 2011, and the franchise is hoping to duplicate that feat with Luka Doncic. It has not always been smooth sailing, but the Mavs are committed to finding a way to win it around their current international superstar.

During Dirk’s heyday, the Mavericks struggled to land targets in free agency and frequently churned their roster. It resulted in a championship, but there were plenty of errors and blunders along the way, including letting a future Hall of Famer walk in free agency.

The Dallas Mavericks have not always practiced patience and trust in their talent, and it often comes back to bite them. It just happened again with the departure of Jalen Brunson to New York, but who are the team’s other biggest blunders?

Players Dallas Mavericks gave up on way too soon:

16. Harrison Barnes

The Mavs' straight salary dumped Barnes in Feb. 2019. It was Luka Doncic’s rookie season, and the franchise had just acquired Kristaps Porzingis. They were worried that Barnes would opt into his $25.1 million player option for the 2019-2020 season, which would limit the team’s flexibility in building around their two young stars, so Dallas moved on from the 6’8 forward after two and a half years.

The problem was Barnes became the exact 3-and-D option in Sacramento that the Mavericks were searching for, and Dallas got back Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson, who played a combined 1,576 minutes for the Mavs. To his credit, Barnes has never played fewer than 2,000 minutes in a season over his 11-year career.

Harrison Barnes got a four-year $85 million contract extension from the Kings, but the Dallas Mavericks needed his production. He is a strong shooter, playmaker, scorer, and defender, which would have fit fantastically next to Luka Doncic if the Mavs would have given them time to develop chemistry.

The Mavericks traded the 26-year-old for a minimal return and watched him thrive in Sacramento, but it was far from the only time that Dallas gave up on a talented player far too soon.

15. Darren Collison

The Mavs traded Ian Mahinmi to Indiana in 2012 for Collison and Dahntay Jones. It was a bit of a surprising move, but Dallas had a hole at point guard after Jason Kidd departed for New York. The 25-year-old Collison helped the Pacers reach the playoffs two straight years and most expected him to be the starter for the Mavericks.

He only opened 47 games as the position was in flux most of the season. Head coach Rick Carlisle preferred a veteran, and the Mavericks even signed Derek Fisher off his couch to start nine games before that experiment blew up. Collison put up strong numbers, including averaging 12.0 points, 5.1 assists, and 1.2 steals in 29.3 minutes per game, but he never nailed down the position.

Injuries limited superstar Dirk Nowitzki to just 53 games, and the Dallas Mavericks missed the playoffs in 2013 for the only time in 16 years.

Darren Collison departed in free agency after just one year. He signed with the LA Clippers to back up Chris Paul where he rebuilt his reputation. In 2014, Collison joined the Kings where he had arguably the three best years of his career.

The six-foot point guard was undersized, but he was a valuable contributor that did not mesh with head coach Rick Carlisle. That forced him to leave the Dallas Mavericks far too soon.

14. Jae Crowder

The Mavericks acquired Jae Crowder in a draft night trade in 2012, and the 6’6 forward immediately cracked the rotation as a rookie. The 22-year-old was a versatile bench option that needed to improve his jumper.

He spent two and a half seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Boston Celtics in the infamous Rajon Rondo trade in 2014. For those unfamiliar, Rondo’s time with the Mavericks was awful, and Crowder made matters ten times worse.

The 6’6 forward quickly became a starter in Boston and had arguably the two best seasons of his career. Crowder helped the Celtics make the conference finals in 2017 as he averaged 13.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.0 steal in 32.4 minutes per game, including shooting 39.8 percent from 3-point range.

He was traded to Cleveland in the 2017 offseason, and he continues to be a productive wing option that contenders desire. Jae Crower helped the Heat and Suns reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021, and his shot-making and versatility can be massive additions to any squad.

The Dallas Mavericks gave him up in a disastrous trade that will forever go down as one of the team’s most regrettable moves in franchise history.

13. Juwan Howard

Howard had a 19-year NBA career that saw him play for eight different teams, including two separate stints with the Mavericks. He was the fifth overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft by the then-Washington Bullets. The 6’9 forward immediately cracked the rotation and was an All-Star in his second season. Howard spent six and a half seasons in the nation’s capital before being traded to Dallas in Feb. 2001.

The addition of Howard helped the Mavericks snap a decade-long playoff drought, and he played the team's third-most minutes in the postseason as they upset the Utah Jazz in round one before falling to the Spurs in the conference semifinals.

Juwan Howard did not last long in Dallas. He was traded to the Nuggets 364 days after they acquired him. The Mavericks jumped at the chance to add Raef LaFrentz, Nick Van Exel, Avery Johnson, and Tariq Abdul-Wahad in the seven-player trade.

Howard had back-to-back outstanding years immediately after leaving Texas, and he would play 11 more seasons in the league, including winning two championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013. The Dallas Mavericks traded him too soon and missed out on the final years of his prime, but the team continued building around Dirk Nowitzki and all worked out when they won the championship in 2011.

12. Sam Cassell

The Mavericks missed the playoffs for a decade straight from 1991 to 2000. There was a glimmer of hope during that stretch after they drafted Jason Kidd second overall in 1994. He teamed with Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn to form the “Three J’s”. The young trio had everyone excited, but it did not even last two full seasons before all three players were traded.

Dallas sent Jason Kidd to Phoenix in Dec. of 1996 in a six-player deal that netted the Mavericks Michael Finley, A.C. Green, and Cassell. The 6’3 guard was a former first-round draft pick that was hungry for playing time. Cassell lasted just 16 games with the Mavericks before being traded for the third time in six months.

This time it was Jim Jackson from the “Three J’s” that exited Dallas in a nine-player deal that brought Shawn Bradley and Robert Pack to the Mavs. Cassell immediately became the Nets' starting point guard and reached a new level. He averaged over 18 points per game in six of the next seven years and made his first career All-Star appearance in 2004.

The Dallas Mavericks never gave Sam Cassell a true chance, but he played 11 more years and was a starting point guard and key contributor for the Nets, Bucks, Clippers, and Celtics. Dallas failed to recognize his talent, and they paid by missing the playoffs for the next four years before finally breaking through with Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash in 2001.

11. Sam Perkins

The Mavs joined the NBA as an expansion franchise in 1980, but some early genius trades set them up nicely. Dallas was part of the NBA creating the Stepien Rule, and it allowed them to select fourth overall after reaching the playoffs for the first time in 1984. The reward was Sam Perkins, a 6’9 forward that made an instant impact. The Mavs reached the playoffs in each of his first four years, including going to the conference finals in 1988.

Perkins was a starter and key contributor for six years before leaving to join the Lakers in free agency in 1990. He played with Michael Jordan and James Worthy at UNC and helped the Tar Heels win the NCAA Championship in 1982, and Perkins was a key member of Team USA winning the Olympic gold medal in 1984. Perhaps, he was always destined to leave.

Perkins was fantastic over the next seven years, including helping the Lakers, SuperSonics, and Pacers reach the NBA Finals. The former Mavericks big man has a fantastic story. Along with playing with many of the all-time greats, he has also done a ton of charity work.

Sam Perkins would likely rank a bit higher on this list, but the Dallas Mavericks likely did not have any chance to keep him in 1990. Still, they left the 6'9 forward depart just as he was entering his prime without getting a return.

10. Devin Harris

The Mavericks traded Antwan Jamison for Jerry Stackhouse, Christian Laettner, and the fifth overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft where they selected Devin Harris.

The 6’3 guard immediately entered the rotation and continuously improved over his three and a half seasons in Dallas before he was traded to the Nets in 2008 as part of the package for Jason Kidd. The Mavericks gave up a significant haul, but J-Kidd was the starting point guard on the 2011 championship squad and made two more All-Star appearances while back in Dallas.

Harris immediately jumped into the starting five in New Jersey and averaged 21.3 points, 6.9 assists, and 1.7 steals in 2009 where he made his first and only All-Star appearance. Fans were quick to jump all over Mark Cuban and the Mavericks that it was a bad trade, but the complaints went away when Dallas won the championship.

Devin Harris was primarily a starter and key contributor for five years before coming back to the Mavs as a free agent in 2013. The 6’3 guard became a fan favorite for his cutting ability and chemistry with backup point guard J.J. Barea. Harris played the majority of his final six seasons with the Mavericks before retiring in 2019.

The Dallas Mavericks missed out on Harris’ prime, but it was a necessary evil in acquiring Jason Kidd from the New Jersey Nets.

9. Antwan Jamison

The Mavs were fresh off a trip to the conference finals in 2003 when they acquired Jamison in a nine-player deal with the Warriors that sent Avery Johnson, Nick Van Exel, and Popeye Jones to Golden State. He was a starter for the Dubs but came off the bench in Dallas behind Michael Finley and Antoine Walker. The 6’8 forward averaged 14.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 29.0 minutes per game as he won Sixth Man of the Year in 2004.

Jamison’s time with the Mavericks lasted less than one calendar year as he was traded to Washington for Jerry Stackhouse, Christian Laettner, and the fifth overall draft pick, which turned into Devin Harris.

He was in the middle of his prime and immediately became an All-Star with the Wizards. Jamison averaged 20.8 points per game over the next five seasons combined as he made two All-Star appearances and was one of the league’s best forwards. He was a productive role player into his mid-30s and played 16 years in the league.

The Dallas Mavericks did not have a massive role for Antwan Jamison, but they traded him too soon. He was just entering his prime, and the franchise did not get equal production in return.

8. Detlef Schrempf

The Mavs drafted Schrempf with the eighth overall pick in 1985, but he was stuck behind Rolando Blackman, Mark Aguirre, and Sam Perkins. The 6’10 forward showed flashes over his three and a half years in Dallas before being traded to the Pacers for Herb Williams in 1989. The Mavericks slowly started blowing things up as Schrempf’s career took off.

He was an All-Star for the first time in 1993, and the 6’10 forward was a key role player for the Pacers and SuperSonics for the next decade. He made three All-Star appearances along with winning two Sixth Man of the Year awards and being named third-team All-NBA in 1995.

Schrempf paved the way for Dirk Nowitzki to come to the NBA. The 6’10 forward was just the third German-born player to enter the league and the first to become an All-Star. Nowitzki looked up to Schrempf, and he helped Dirk give his dream a dose of reality.

The Dallas Mavericks gave up on Detlef Schrempf at the worst possible time. He was just entering his prime and ready to take that next step. Dallas did not have the minutes open, but they could have created some after trading Mark Aguirre. Instead, the Mavs decided to move on from Schrempf too, only for him to become a three-time All-Star.

7. Jamal Mashburn

The Mavericks won just 11 games in 1993, but they slipped to fourth in the lottery. It was a disappointing result, but the franchise selected Jamal Mashburn, who was a 6’8 forward. He averaged 19.2 points per game as a rookie and it gave Dallas two young scoring wings to build around. The Mavs only won 13 games in 1994, but their prize was drafting Jason Kidd with the number two pick.

Things were promising for a moment, but things quickly blew up. Jim Jackson and Mashburn feuded over who should be the top scorer. Kidd and Jackson did not get along either. Things got messy and soon reached the point of no return.

Mashburn played just 18 games in 1996 because of injuries, and he was traded to Miami in February of 1997 for an uninspiring package headlined by Kurt Thomas.

After leaving Dallas, Mashburn became a key role player for the Heat and Hornets, including making his first All-Star appearance in 2003. The Mavericks traded all three J’s before they reached their prime, but it was necessary because they could not get along.

Jamal Mashburn’s career was cut short by injuries, but he made seven playoff appearances and scored over 20 points per game in four seasons after leaving Dallas.

6. Derek Harper

The Mavs drafted Harper 11th overall in 1983. They were entering their fourth season as a franchise and were hungry for their first playoff appearance. Harper backed up Brad Davis in his first two seasons before transitioning into the starter in year three. He just kept getting better, and the Mavericks do not make the conference finals in 1988 without him.

The 6’4 became a Mavericks legend, but even he wanted out as Dallas started a rebuild in the early 1990s. Harp was over 30, and the franchise had quickly become one of the worst in the league. They won 33 games combined in his final two full seasons with the Mavs, and Harper was finally traded to the New York Knicks after a Doc Rivers injury for Tony Cambell’s expiring contract and a first-round draft pick.

The Mavericks legend was 32 years old, but he still had plenty of gas left in the tank as he helped the Knicks reach the NBA Finals in 1994 where they lost a heartbreaking seven-game series to the Houston Rockets. Harper was the starting point guard in New York for two more seasons, and he continued to be a productive contributor to a playoff squad.

Derek Harper returned to the Dallas Mavericks in 1996 as a free agent and was traded one year later to the Orlando Magic. The 6’4 guard retired in 1999 and is currently the TV analyst for the Mavs. The franchise retired his number 12 in 2018. He will forever be a legend, but the team missed out on a few of his best years because of their rebuild.

5. Tyson Chandler

Dirk Nowitzki had led the Mavericks to the playoffs for a decade straight in 2010, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2006. Still, Dallas needed a change. They had been knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in three of the last four years, and Nowitzki was still chasing his first championship. Erick Dampier had been the team’s starting center for the previous four years, but the Mavericks jumped at the chance to upgrade to Chandler.

The seven-footer was a better rebounder and scorer that was just the piece that the Mavs needed. Dallas won two more games during the regular season, and Chandler anchored their defense to the lone championship in franchise history.

That season alone made Chandler a franchise legend, but the ensuing lockout gave owner Mark Cuban time to mull over the team’s aging roster. He did not think they were a sustainable contender, so the Mavericks' boss broke them up. Chandler was traded to the Knicks in a salary dump.

The seven-footer responded by winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 and making his first All-Star appearance in 2013. He returned to the Mavericks in 2014 and helped them get back to the playoffs after missing for the first in a dozen years, but again lasted only one season.

The Dallas Mavericks gave up on Tyson Chandler too soon twice, but it was a massive mistake in 2011 as the seven-footer followed that with the two best years of his career. Chandler is back working with the Mavs as a developmental coach.

4. Mark Aguirre

Aguirre is the only number-one overall draft pick in Dallas Mavericks history. The lottery did not start until 1985, so Dallas winning just 15 games in its inaugural season meant they got the top selection.

The 6’6 forward quickly cracked the rotation and averaged over 24 points per game in his second season. He was one of the best scorers of the 1980s, made three All-Star appearances, and was the team’s leading scorer during their 1988 run to the Western Conference Finals.

Mark Aguirre did not have the best relationship with the organization, and it led to a messy exit in 1989 as he traded to the Detroit Pistons. The 6’6 forward won two championships in Detroit as he transformed into a role player. Aguirre was the piece that helped the Pistons get over the hump and win the franchise’s first two rings.

Many believe Aguirre’s number 24 should be retired in Dallas. He was the leading scorer during the team’s first real run, and he helped get the Mavericks off the ground. His relationships with teammates and members of the organization may never make that possible, but he is a legend that deserves that honor. Mark Aguirre was the first move of many that slowly forced the Mavericks into a rebuild and a decade-long playoff drought before Dirk Nowitzki arrived.

3. Jalen Brunson

It was a comedy of errors that caused the Dallas Mavericks to lose Jalen Brunson after four years. The Naismith Award winner slipped into the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, which ultimately hurt Dallas. It allowed him to negotiate a contract that made him an unrestricted free agent after four years and left the Mavs with zero control. Mistake number one.

Brunson quickly took over as the backup point guard behind Luka Doncic, but the team was hesitant to play the two guards together. It was not until his fourth season that JB broke into the starting lineup and began to show his superstar potential, but it was too late. The Mavs had failed to lock him into an extension, and they were hamstrung by the CBA in how much they could offer.

Brunson entered free agency after a breakout fourth season, and the Knicks offered a $100 million contract. It was too good to pass up, and the Mavericks lost him for nothing. Fans viewed it as an overpay at the moment, but Brunson averaged 24.0 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds in the following season as he pushed New York into the second round of the playoffs. JB became a star and made the Mavs look even more foolish.

The Dallas Mavericks should have extended Jalen Brunson when they had the chance, but it just did not work out.

2. Jason Kidd

The Mavs selected Kidd second overall in 1994, and he quickly became one of the league’s best point guards. He shared Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill in 1995 before becoming an All-Star in year two. The future Hall of Famer and current Mavericks head coach did not see a third full season in Dallas until 2009.

It is not often a team trades away a budding star in his early 20s, but it became necessary as their young roster was feuding. Jamal Mashburn and Jim Jackson were fighting over touches, and Kidd developed a feud with Jackson that involved singer Toni Braxton. The Mavs went through three coaches, continued to lose, and did not get along. It was a recipe to blow things up.

Kidd was traded to Phoenix in Dec. of 1996 in a six-player deal that netted the Mavericks Michael Finley. He cemented himself as an all-time great over the next decade, including leading the Brooklyn Nets to two NBA Finals before returning to Dallas in 2008. J-Kidd was the starting point guard on the Mavericks' 2011 title squad and will forever be a franchise legend.

The Dallas Mavericks missed out on most of Jason Kidd’s prime years because their roster was a disaster that could not get along. J-Kidd’s return gave this one a happy ending, but it was still regrettable to lose out on the best years of one of the 75 best players in NBA history.

1. Steve Nash

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban continues to regret letting Nash walk in free agency in 2004. Dallas acquired the future Hall of Famer in a 1998 draft night trade. It was the same night they landed Dirk Nowitzki, and the duo quickly became friends.

They pushed the Mavs out of a decade-long playoff drought and into contention. In their six years together, Dallas made the playoffs four times, including a trip to the conference finals in 2003. Nash and Nowitzki were both multiple-time All-Stars by 2004, but a first-round postseason exit at the hands of the Kings had the front office re-thinking the partnership.

Nash was approaching his 30th birthday, and the Dallas Mavericks decided against giving him a massive contract. The 6’3 guard responded by winning back-to-back MVP honors with the Suns. Nash made six more All-Star appearances and joined one of Dallas’ biggest rivals over the next half-decade.

It was a massive blunder by Cuban and the Mavericks' decision-makers. They thought Steve Nash was over the hill, but his best basketball was ahead. Keeping him and Dirk together will forever be one of the biggest what-ifs in franchise history.

The Dallas Mavericks are no strangers to making front-office mistakes. They overcame plenty to win the 2011 championship. Can they follow a similar path with Luka Doncic? Stay tuned to find out.

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