Karl Malone always had a desire to play for the Dallas Mavericks, and it appeared his wish might get fulfilled in the early 2000s, but it wasn’t to be, as the Mavericks did not want to part with Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, or Michael Finley for him.
While Malone still had gas left in the tank in his late 30s, it would have made little sense for the Mavericks to trade any of those three for him. Both Nowitzki and Nash were in their mid-20s and had made the All-Star team for the first time in 2002, while Finley had been an All-Star in 2000 and 2001.
Also, I’m not sure how Malone and Nowitzki would have played together. Neither could really play center and if the veteran was going to be a backup, it would make little sense to trade Nash or Finley for him. Ultimately, it just didn’t make sense and you can understand why it didn’t go through.
The Mavericks Could Have Won A Championship Had They Drafted Karl Malone In 1985
The real missed opportunity for the Mavericks came in 1985. They had the eighth pick of the Draft of that year and selected Detlef Schrempf instead of Malone, who went to the Utah Jazz with the 15th pick.
Schrempf had little to no impact in Dallas, and it was only after leaving the Mavericks that he became an All-Star. Despite not nailing that pick, the Mavs were one of the better teams in the Western Conference and in 1988, made it all the way to the Conference Finals.
They faced the Showtime Lakers there and were a game away from getting to the NBA Finals, but lost the deciding Game 7. Had they picked Malone back in 1985, things could have turned out quite differently. In that 1987-88 season, the big man had averaged 27.7 points, 12.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game.
He certainly could have helped against the Lakers, but it wasn’t to be. The Mavericks would have to wait for a long time to win that elusive championship, as they only got their hands on the trophy in 2011.
The Mavericks With Dirk, Nash, And Finley
For all of Malone’s excellence, he wasn’t able to win a championship with the Jazz either, and it made sense that he viewed the Mavericks as a team that could get him one. Dallas was a team on the rise, led by Dirk, Nash, and Finley.
The Mavericks went 53-29 in 2000-01, 57-25 in 2001-02, and then 60-22 in 2002-03. They even made it to the Conference Finals in 2003 but lost to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. The trio were knocking on the door in terms of winning a title, but 2003 would end up being the high point of the Dirk, Nash, and Finley era.
The Mavericks went 52-30 the following season and were eliminated in the first round by the Sacramento Kings. Then, in the offseason, Nash left in free agency, and the following year, Finley did as well. It brought to an end an exciting era that promised much, but ultimately, failed to net them a championship.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
