By this point, attendance were at all-time lows at home for the Mavericks, who trudged to finish dead last in a much improved Division, 18 games behind the 4th place Dallas Chaparrals.
Morrow announced to the league that he would not put any more money into the team midway through the year, and the league stepped in to make sure the team did not fold midway through, making trades and such.
In January 1969, Jim Gardner agreed to buy the team for $650,000 to move them to North Carolina, which would occur after the season.
One bright spot was their performance on January 17, 1969, when the team made 36 of 36 free throws in a 130–118 victory over the New York Nets.
April 2, 1969 was the final game in Houston, with a reported attendance of 89, though the Mavericks beat the New York Nets 149–132.