The Dallas Mavericks gained their solely title in 2011, however they might have helped the franchise change into the most effective crew of the 2000s.
Within the 2000s, the Western Convention was dominated by the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Over the course of a decade, both the Spurs or Lakers reached the finals yearly, besides in 2006, when the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Miami Warmth. The Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, and even the Sacramento Kings have been playoff staples between 2000 and 2010, however the convention handed San Antonio and Los Angeles.
If the Mavericks re-signed the Star in 2004, they might have constructed their very own dynasty.
Through the 2003-04 season, the Mavericks misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs to the Kings. That summer season they may lose Steve Nash to the Suns at a free company.
Nash and Darkish Nowicki established themselves as one of many league’s greatest offensive duos, and as soon as Shaq and Kobe completed their run, the Mavericks have been poised to take the Lakers’ spot on the prime of the rankings.
Nevertheless, the Suns have been extra keen to pay Nash than the Mavericks, so he bouncing off at his free company.
“Mark Cuban was certain that sturdiness considerations would meet up with Steve Nash,” defined former Mavericks beat author Mark Stein. “So Mark Cuban set a restrict on his head. He was solely going for 4 years, $36 million. So the Sands will provide two years and $30 million.”
Nash took the cash, and it is exhausting to not blame him. He continued to earn consecutive MVPs in his first two seasons with the Suns, however by no means performed the NBA Finals.
Nash was capable of do a fast-paced assault with Sean Marion, Amal Stodemire and Joe Johnson, however by no means once more performed as a lot because the scorer as Darkish, who led the Mavericks to their sole title in 2011.
On the finish of the day, Sands merely wished to pay extra.
“The Suns put a substantial provide like this on the desk, and Mark Cuban did not need to increase his provide,” Stein defined. “How do you say no to the additional $30 million to get again to the crew that drafted you?”
Together with Nash, the Mavericks made the playoffs in 4 of their 5 years, averaging 52 wins per season, however struggled within the playoffs with the most effective crew.
With out Nash, it might have taken the Mavericks just a few seasons to recuperate. They made the playoffs each season till 2013, however they turned the third and first seed to lose to the eighth seed that believed within the Golden State Warriors in 2007, when Derik gained the MVP.
Nash has discovered greater than his fair proportion of private success with Phoenix, however the Mavericks might have taken the mantle from the Lakers if he stayed in Dallas. Cuba refused to fireside, and he rapidly regretted it.
“It was my selection for Steve to depart for cash. It was my selection to not pay him,” Cuba defined in 2004.
Swapping Luka Doncic for the Lakers would be the largest blunder in franchise historical past, however the Fallout has not but been actually revealed.
