For the first time in 18 years, the Dallas Mavericks finished with 33 wins or less during the 2016-17 season. Only the fourth time in Dirk Nowitzki’s prestigious career that the Mavericks didn’t reach the playoffs.
Whether they wanted to or not, the Mavericks finished with one of the worst records in the league and were awarded the 9th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
With Dirk Nowitzki entering his 20th season in the league and the Mavericks possessing a top ten pick, it was the perfect time to embark on a rebuild.
*From this point on, I present a personal theory that is purely speculative.