16 Players the Mavericks never should have gambled on

The Dallas Mavericks have made plenty of regrettable moves over their 40-plus years as a franchise. Drafting Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic are certainly not on that list. The Tall Baller from the G is an all-time great, and Doncic is on pace to join him. Dirk brought a championship to Dallas, but even he had plenty of teammates the franchise regretted acquiring.

There have been failed trades, missed draft picks, bust signings, and players who simply got away. The Mavs must do better if they plan on building a title team around Luka. The Slovenian continues to shine, but he won’t wait forever for the franchise.

Dallas is no stranger to taking chances, and here is a look at 16 moves that did not work out.

16. J.J. Redick

The Mavericks wanted to improve their shooting around superstar Luka Doncic in 2021. The 21-year-old had just made his second All-Star appearance and was already a superstar. Dallas was knocked out by the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs inside the bubble and was eager to go on their first run with number 77 leading the way.

Redick was one of the league’s best marksmen throughout his career, but the 36-year-old did not have anything left in the tank for the Mavs. Dallas gave up two fringe rotation pieces and one second-round pick to get the 6'3 guard and Nicolo Melli. It was a small price to pay, but Redick was already injured and appeared in just 13 games for 147 total minutes.

The sharpshooter had a heel issue that he could not get right. Redick played sparingly for a few weeks before being forced to shut it down. He played his last game in May and was unable to suit up in the playoffs. The Dallas Mavericks gave up a second-round pick for next to zero production from J.J. Redick, who retired following the season.