[1] After a dreadful season where they only won just eleven games, the Mavericks selected Jamal Mashburn from the University of Kentucky with the fourth overall pick in the 1993 NBA draft.
[2][3][4][5][6] Despite the addition of Mashburn, and second-year star Jim Jackson playing in his first full season, the Mavericks' misery continued under new head coach Quinn Buckner,[7] losing 23 of their first 24 games, including a 20-game losing streak between November and December, which tied the infamous 1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers.
[10] At midseason, the team traded Derek Harper to the New York Knicks in exchange for Tony Campbell to replace Knicks point guard Doc Rivers (who played only 19 games due to a knee injury and missed the rest of the season),[11][12][13] and signed free agent Lorenzo Williams.
They won their final two games finishing last place in the Midwest Division with a miserable record of 13–69, narrowly missing out on back-to-back 70-loss seasons.
[16] Following the season, Buckner was fired as head coach,[17] while Rooks was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves,[18][19] Campbell signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers,[20][21] Legler was released to free agency, and Lever and Randy White both retired.