10 Retired Dallas Mavericks who would fit perfectly on today's team

The Dallas Mavericks had a promising start to the 2023-24 season, running to a 9-3 standing and battling for the top seed in the Western Conference. However, they have gradually slid down the standings and currently rank eighth in the West.

Injuries have certainly taken a toll on the team, although the roster seems to have several holes the front office needs to address by the trade deadline to improve its chances of becoming a true contender. The past months have revealed the Mavs' biggest needs, which include starters in the forward spots and reliable backups in the backcourt and center positions.

10 Retired Dallas Mavericks who would fit perfectly on today's team

Interestingly, Dallas has several former players who could provide the squad with reinforcement if they were still playing today.

10. Jason Kidd

Let's start off with someone very familiar with the current Mavs. Head coach Jason Kidd had two playing stints with the franchise, although none of them coincided with his prime years.

The University of California, Berkeley product began his NBA career as Dallas's second overall pick in the 1994 draft. He made an immediate impact on the squad and showed his all-around game by securing four triple-doubles in his rookie season.

After tenures with the Phoenix Suns and New Jersey Nets, Kidd returned to the Mavs in his mid-30s. Despite nearing retirement, he offered stability at the point guard position for the team to help it reach the playoffs every season. The nine-time All-Defensive Team selection was also named one of the 15 best defenders of all time, even if he wasn't in his peak form when he stayed in Dallas.

The 10-time All-Star was the organization's starting point guard in its lone championship run, although if he played today on the Mavs, he would likely serve as a backup to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. He probably would have no qualms with that role, as he knows fully well that it takes sacrifice to reach the promised land.

9. Sam Perkins

The Dallas Mavericks' No. 4 pick in the 1984 NBA Draft could fill their present void at the power forward slot. Sam Perkins had taken turns at the four and five during his six-year stay in Dallas, and if the sweet-shooting big man played for the current team, he could start alongside Dereck Lively II to offer enough space on the floor for its star playmakers.

Considering that he never became a star like the draft classmates chosen before (Michael Jordan) and after (Charles Barkley) him, Perkins has become one of the Mavs' forgotten players. Still, he had an impressive run in Dallas, averaging double-figures in scoring and never recording less than 7.4 rebounds per game each season.

The University of North Carolina alum also served a key role in the franchise's playoff runs in the mid to late 1980s, starting in all 38 contests and scoring 14.9 points per game.

Perkins reached three Finals during his career, although none of those appearances came in a Mavs uniform. 

In 1991, he suited up for the Los Angeles Lakers, who lost to the Chicago Bulls in the Finals. Five years later, he returned to the championship stage with the Seattle SuperSonics, only to see his hopes of winning a ring get shut down again by the Bulls. Playing for the Indiana Pacers to cap off his career, he helped the Eastern Conference squad book a Finals trip, losing to the Lakers in six contests.

8. Derek Harper

Perimeter defense has been one of the biggest weaknesses of the Dallas Mavericks in this campaign. A significant reason the squad ranks in the bottom 10 in allowed points per game and defensive rating is that it has struggled to contain opposing backcourt and wing players.

Of course, that can be attributed to having a starting duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, neither of whom is an all-world defender. Still, the front office has the task of surrounding them with personnel whose skills should complement the weaknesses of the other pieces.

If Derek Harper were still playing, Dallas would definitely look at bringing him in. 

After the franchise drafted him in the first round in 1983, he continued to improve year after year, becoming the first in league history to increase his scoring average every season for eight years. The outspoken floor general had his best individual campaign in 1990-91, where he recorded 19.7 points per contest. 

But the area where he would help the team most today is defense, especially since it's just 28th in the Association in average steals. Known for his tenacity on that end of the court and ability to disrupt opposing offenses, Harp could share the court with either Doncic or Irving and still probably find ways to be effective.

The Mavs have four jerseys on the rafters, and Harper's No. 12 is among them. It's certainly a deserved recognition for the franchise leader in steals and assists.

7. Jason Terry

Adding another scorer in Jason Terry might be counter-intuitive for a Dallas Mavericks squad that is already among the top 10 in average points.

However, that ranking might be a bit misleading because the Mavs have been a bit inconsistent on offense, especially in creating shots inside the arc. No one beyond Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Tim Hardaway Jr. has provided reliable scoring on a nightly basis.

Terry would be huge for Dallas, especially if he were to come off the bench as he did in the latter half of his stint with the organization. He even had his finest season in Mavs uniform as a reserve, putting up 19.6 points per game in the 2008-09 campaign, the same season he won the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Dallas also appears to be missing a piece who has irrational confidence, and "The Jet" certainly wasn't lacking in that regard. Who can forget when he had the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy tattooed on his arm months before actually winning an NBA title? 

For his role in the franchise's title run in the 2010-11 season, which included Terry outplaying (and outscoring) LeBron James in the Finals series, he has become one of the team's beloved cult heroes and is deserving of a spot on this list.

6. Rolando Blackman 

The Dallas Mavericks may have two stars, but it appears that hasn't been enough to lift the squad out of the mediocrity hole. Perhaps some of their other players have found it tough to overcome the jitters that come along with trying to transform a team into a championship contender.

If the Mavs need an infusion of players who have a sheer amount of coolheadedness and the ability to make big-time plays, they should look for someone like Rolando Blackman, who is famous for his "Confidence, baby, confidence!" 

That took place in the 1987 All-Star Game with the Western Conference All-Stars down two with no time left on the clock and Blackman set to shoot two free throws. He ended up making both to help his side triumph in overtime.

The four-time All-Star displayed that same confidence in his 11-year stay in Dallas, leading the team to five straight postseason appearances and a trip to the conference finals in 1988, where it was one win short of advancing to the next round.

Until Dirk Nowitzki took the crown, Blackman used to be the Mavs' franchise leader in points - not bad for the No. 9 pick of the 1981 draft. But he was more than just a bucket-getter. The retired shooting guard was a three-time Big Eight Defensive Player of the Year. Under the right circumstances, he would have had the potential to be an elite two-way player in the professional ranks.

5. Roy Tarpley

One of the biggest what-ifs in the history of the Dallas Mavericks, Roy Tarpley joined the organization in 1986 as its No. 7 draft choice. It was a match made in heaven as the Mavs needed a backup behind starting big men James Donaldson and Sam Perkins.

The University of Michigan product's skills translated well into the NBA. An impressive rebounder and paint protector, he became a double-double machine off the bench in the four seasons following his rookie campaign, which saw him earn an All-Rookie First-Team selection. For good measure, he also won the Sixth Man of the Year honors in the 1987-88 season.

Unfortunately, Tarpley caused the franchise massive headaches, which may be one of the reasons he is often forgotten when talking about the best prospects to suit up for Dallas. 

Trouble started brewing six games into the 1989-90 campaign after he was arrested for driving while intoxicated. To make matters worse, he resisted arrest. His brush with the law resulted in the league suspending him indefinitely. After getting apprehended again for the same offense and violating the Association's drug-use policies in the next few years, Tarpley was handed a lengthy suspension.

He returned in 1994 briefly after a stint in a court-imposed personal aftercare program. Sadly, though, he couldn't stay sober, as another violation had the NBA banning him from the league for life.

If only the New York native played today, the league and the Mavs would have likely been more equipped to handle his addiction. 

The late Tarpley finished his NBA career playing just 280 games. However, his career averages of 12.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per contest underscore how good of a hoopster he could've turned out had he found himself in the right situation, such as the current Mavs probably.

4. Tyson Chandler

Back in November, Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison shared the type of player Dallas wants to trade for: someone who can bring physicality and rebounding. Until now, that has remained as merely a dream for the team.

But once upon a time, the Mavs had a guy who fit the bill in Tyson Chandler.

During his two one-year stints in Dallas, he was effective as a defensive anchor, rim-runner, and vocal leader. The first tenure saw the franchise secure the championship, thanks in part to the retired center patrolling the paint. The front office may have committed a massive mistake by not re-signing him in the 2012 offseason, as the squad lost its backbone on defense.

Chandler did return to Dallas for the 2014-15 season via trade to reunite with Dirk Nowitzki and J.J. Barea, although by then, the squad had already regressed from its title-contending status.

The former Defensive Player of the Year's fit with the Mavs today might be sketchy, especially since Dereck Lively II has already deservedly locked down the starting five. However, Chandler's role would likely involve backing up the outstanding rookie and serving as a mentor. Incidentally, his "perfect fit" mentorship of Lively II has helped the latter achieve success at a very young age.

3. Shawn Marion

With the Dallas Mavericks probably looking at their options at either of the starting forward slots, someone like Shawn Marion could be the guy they're looking at. 

The do-it-all forward started alongside Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler in the 2011 playoffs to form the Mavs' fearsome starting frontcourt and help the team complete its championship run. Even if he was a shell of his former All-Star self when he was shipped to Dallas from the Miami Heat in the 2009 offseason, he still had the versatility and enough athleticism to serve as a complementary piece to the franchise's stars.

Marion's weakness as he aged was the decline of his three-point shooting. He could shoot respectably from beyond the arc when he was a member of the "Seven Seconds or Less" Phoenix Suns, but he didn't have the same ability later on. Still, if he played with the present iteration of the Mavs, "The Matrix's" main weapons would be his defensive prowess that could cover the weaknesses of the Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving duo and uncanny knack for hauling in defensive and offensive boards.

Dallas is undoubtedly thankful to Marion for his part in making the Mavs a champion, and the organization and its fans would definitely also be grateful today if it had someone like the two-time All-NBA selection. 

2. Mark Aguirre

This season, the Dallas Mavericks have had a revolving door of starting small forwards, with Grant Williams, Josh Green, and Dante Exum among those who have been sharing the responsibility. But that wouldn't be the case if the team had Mavs legend Mark Aguirre.

The only No. 1 overall pick in franchise history, Aguirre is arguably the team's first-ever star and formed one of the best Mavs duos with Rolando Blackman. At his peak, the legendary small forward averaged 29.5 points per game, doing so in the 1983-84 season en route to becoming the first Mav to join the All-Star Game.

Some might question whether he would be a good fit alongside Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. However, it's worth noting Aguirre learned to adjust his play style depending on who he shared the court with. He started as a high-scoring weapon before learning to share the ball when his other teammates started contributing more. Then, when he was traded to the Detroit Pistons, he showed no problems blending in with an ensemble cast by attempting fewer field goals and exerting better effort on defense.

Furthermore, the Pistons only made it to the next level after they replaced the more offensively polished star Adrian Dantley with a better-fitting asset in Aguirre. That speaks a lot about the two-time champion's willingness to sacrifice his individual accolades and cede the spotlight if necessary, characteristics that had Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas gushing.

1. Dirk Nowitzki

There is probably no other former Dallas Mavericks player who would fit better with this campaign's Mavs than the franchise G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time) himself, Dirk Nowitzki.

Imagine the 14-time All-Star on this team. Opponents would have an impossible task of devising a defensive scheme that could stop the trio of Nowitzki, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving. While the "Dunking Deutschman" expressed the desire to play with Doncic longer, Mavs fans likely have a similar wish.

As it turned out, the European legends played only 42 contests together, as Luka's rookie season coincided with Dirk's farewell tour. But what if their careers and primes overlapped? Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban once said in an interview with FanSided's Mark Carman that such a scenario would have allowed the NBA world to see the second coming of Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Instead, what Doncic has now is the opportunity to do better than Nowitzki, although he has quite a ways to go. Despite having achieved more than the Hall of Famer at the same point in their respective careers, he still lacks the hardware, particularly an MVP award and a championship ring, to even be worthy of such a comparison.

But the onus shouldn't fall on the four-time All-NBA First-Team selection to earn those honors, as Dallas also has the responsibility of building a competitive roster around him.

To stay updated with the Dallas Mavericks' roster decisions, stay tuned with us.