22 Stars the Dallas Mavericks missed drafting by a single pick

7. Vince Carter

One of the Dallas Mavericks' best trades of all time was on draft night of the 1998 NBA Draft when they traded the draft rights of Robert Traylor for Dirk Nowitzki and Pat Garrity. This trade set the Mavericks up for success for years, as Nowitzki is the greatest Maverick of all time.

He brought them their one and only championship, and his impact to the city of Dallas is priceless. Traylor never played a game for the Mavs as he was traded on draft night, but the Mavs could have selected a legend with the No. 6 overall pick if he fell one more slot.

The Golden State Warriors selected Vince Carter with the No. 5 overall pick and later traded him to the Toronto Raptors, and the Mavs may have selected him if he fell one more slot.

In his 22-year career, Carter averaged 16.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 43.5 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from downtown. Carter was known for his dunking, 3-point shooting, and consistency, and he remained a good role player even in his later years.

His game evolved as he got older, and once he got to the Mavs, he was perfect in his role. Carter spent three seasons in Dallas and averaged 12.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 41.9 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from downtown.

Carter was elite off the bench for the Mavs, and he ended up hitting one of the biggest shots in Mavs playoff history against the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. He was elite in his role and he was a fan favorite during his entire tenure as a Maverick. Carter openly doubted the Mavericks in the 2024 Western Conference Finals, but he is still loved in Dallas.

Carter found his way to Dallas, but he nearly was drafted there.