Mavericks' X-Factor's starting five is missing one huge name

Despite being a relatively new franchise, the Dallas Mavericks have had some iconic players don their uniforms. Plenty of Hall of Famers have passed through to put on a show for Dallas fans, giving them plenty to cheer about.

The Mavericks have also been a unique franchise in that they had one figure, Dirk Nowitzki, stay with the team for 21 years, and it ushered straight into the Luka Doncic era. Unfortunately, the chance for Doncic to be the next Nowitzki was ruined by Nico Harrison, who traded him away in the middle of the night for Anthony Davis.

Mar 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) brings the ball up court against the Phoenix Suns during the second half at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

That trade was brought back up when Naji Marshall, a current veteran on the Mavericks, was asked to give his all-time Mavericks starting five and excluded Doncic, instead opting for a lineup of Jason Kidd, Kyrie Irving, Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tyson Chandler.

Naji Marshall’s all-time starting five:

- Jason Kidd
- Kyrie Irving
- Michael Finley
- Dirk Nowitzki
- Tyson Chandler pic.twitter.com/2mR8lVHrbn
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) July 28, 2025

It was probably smart to include his teammate Irving, head coach Kidd, executive Finley, and the franchise's greatest player in Nowitzki, but it does hurt not to see Luka Doncic in there. Marshall said multiple times early in the season that he loved playing with Doncic, but it wouldn't be surprising if the players were told to mention the former Maverick as little as possible.

Realistically, Doncic is in the starting five over Kyrie Irving. An argument can be made between Kidd and Steve Nash, as Kidd was the starting point guard on the championship team, but Nash was a better Maverick. The same could be made between Finley, Shawn Marion, or even someone like Rolando Blackman. There's no debate on Nowitzki, and Chandler is probably the correct choice for a center.

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