Ranking the 8 worst starters of the Luka Doncic era

When the Dallas Mavericks drafted Luka Doncic in 2018, they needed someone to help get them over the hump in the Western Conference. They hadn't been past the first round of the playoffs since they won the NBA Finals in 2011, and Dirk Nowitzki was nearing the end of his career.

They couldn't depend on Nowitzki to be their superstar anymore and needed someone who could be the new face of the franchise.

Ranking the 8 worst starters of the Luka Doncic era

With Nowitzki passing the reigns to Doncic when he retired in 2019, the Mavs have seen the most success they've had since 2011.

They've reached the playoffs in three of the last four years, and Doncic has been leading the charge. He also led the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals in 2022.

Doncic and the Mavs have had a good couple of years, but they've also had some not-so-great starters take the floor for the team. As we look back at all five seasons of the Luka Doncic era, we rank the eight worst starters during this time. The criteria to be on this list is at least 10 games started for Dallas from 2018 until last season.

8. Dwight Powell

Dwight Powell has started more games than anyone since 2018 other than Dorian Finney-Smith and Doncic, and he comes in as the best worst starter on this list. Powell has started in 231 games in this time frame and averaged 8.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Powell is by no means a bad player, he just isn't a starting-caliber center. He would be great in a bench role for this team, but the Mavs haven't had the personnel to allow him to move to the bench.

Powell is a solid rim roller and has good chemistry with Doncic, but he can't protect the rim and isn't the best rebounder. Considering the fact that the Mavs have been in the bottom 10 teams in rebounder per game over the past three years with Powell as the starting center, that isn't the best look.

This doesn't all fall on Powell, but he doesn't help in that part of the game at all.

Powell is one of the best role models that the Mavericks have ever had, as he is constantly serving the community and interacting with fans, but he shouldn't be a starter.