16 Players the Mavericks never should have gambled on

7. Eddie Jones

Jones was the tenth overall pick in 1994 and quickly became one of the best two-way wings in the NBA. He was a three-time All-Star and earned three second-team All-Defense honors. Jones led the league in steals in 2000 and was named third-team All-NBA. The 6’6 wing was an elite athlete and impactful contributor on both ends of the floor.

Jones began to decline in his 30s and bounced around a bit before arriving in Dallas in 2007. The Mavs signed him to a two-year deal on the cusp of his 36th birthday. They were fresh off a disappointing first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Warriors and wanted another veteran rotation piece.

Jones had been a starter for his entire NBA career, but things quickly fell apart in Dallas. He opened his first five games before being sent to the bench. The 6’6 wing averaged just 3.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 19.6 minutes per game with the Mavs. He shot 36.7 percent from the field and slipped out of the rotation as the playoffs approached. Jones was well past his prime and it wound up being his final NBA season.

The Dallas Mavericks traded him to Indiana with two second-round draft picks in the 2008 offseason, but Jones was quickly bought out. He was underrated during his prime but had nothing left in the tank by the time he arrived in Dallas.