1998–99_Dallas_Mavericks_season
1998–99 Dallas Mavericks season
NBA professional basketball team season
The 1998–99 NBA season was the Mavericks' 19th season in the National Basketball Association.[1] On March 23, 1998, the owners of all 29 NBA teams voted 27–2 to reopen the league's collective bargaining agreement, seeking changes to the league's salary cap system, and a ceiling on individual player salaries. The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) opposed to the owners' plan, and wanted raises for players who earned the league's minimum salary. After both sides failed to reach an agreement, the owners called for a lockout, which began on July 1, 1998, putting a hold on all team trades, free agent signings and training camp workouts, and cancelling many NBA regular season and preseason games.[2][3][4][5][6] Due to the lockout, the NBA All-Star Game, which was scheduled to be played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1999, was also cancelled.[7][8][9][10][11] However, on January 6, 1999, NBA commissioner David Stern, and NBPA director Billy Hunter finally reached an agreement to end the lockout. The deal was approved by both the players and owners, and was signed on January 20, ending the lockout after 204 days. The regular season began on February 5, and was cut short to just 50 games per team instead of the regular 82-game schedule.[12][13][14][15][16]
In the 1998 NBA draft, the Mavericks selected Robert Traylor from the University of Michigan with the sixth overall pick, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for their top draft pick, and German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki.[17][18][19][20][21][22] In the off-season, the team acquired point guard Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns,[17][18][23][24] signed free agents Gary Trent,[25][26][27] and Hot Rod Williams,[28][29][30] and released Khalid Reeves to free agency later on during the regular season, as he later on signed with the Detroit Pistons.[31] However, the young Mavericks still struggled losing eight of their first nine games, but began to show promise by posting their first winning record at home in nine years at 15–10. However, with Cedric Ceballos only playing just 13 games due to a wrist injury,[32][33][34] they were still a mile away from the playoffs as they finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 19–31 record.[35]
Michael Finley averaged 20.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.3 steals per game, while Trent averaged 16.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, and Ceballos provided the team with 12.5 points per game. In addition, Shawn Bradley averaged 8.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, while Hubert Davis contributed 9.1 points per game, Robert Pack averaged 8.9 points and 3.2 assists per game in only just 25 games due to injury,[36] Nowitzki provided with 8.2 points per game, and Nash contributed 7.9 points and 5.5 assists per game.[37] Trent also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting.[38][39]
Following the season, A.C. Green was traded back to his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers,[40][41][42] while Samaki Walker signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs,[43][44][45] and second-year center Chris Anstey was traded to the Chicago Bulls.[46]
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