1998–99 Dallas Mavericks season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the 19th season for the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.

The Mavericks received the sixth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected power forward Robert Traylor from the University of Michigan, but soon traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for their top draft pick, power forward and German basketball star Dirk Nowitzki. During the off-season, the team acquired Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns, signed free agents Gary Trent, and Hot Rod Williams, and released Khalid Reeves to free agency later on during the regular season, as he later on signed with the Detroit Pistons.

However, the young Mavericks still struggled losing eight of their first nine games of the regular season, 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, the team finished in fifth place in the Midwest Division with a 19–31 record, missing the NBA playoffs for the ninth consecutive year.

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, Nowitzki provided with 8.2 points per game, and Nash contributed 7.9 points and 5.5 assists per game. Trent also finished in third place in Most Improved Player voting.

Following the season, A.C. Green was traded back to his former team, the Los Angeles Lakers, while Samaki Walker signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs, and second-year center Chris Anstey was traded to the Chicago Bulls.