Head coach Dick Motta Record 26–56 (.317) | Arena Reunion Arena Playoff finish DNQ | |
Place Division: 5th (Midwest)
Conference: 12th (Western) | ||
The 1995-96 NBA season was the Mavericks' 16th season in the National Basketball Association. The Mavericks got off to a fast start winning their first four games. However, after a 5–1 start to the season, they would struggle losing 21 of their next 24 games, as Jamal Mashburn went down with a knee injury after playing just 18 games. With Mashburn out injured, George McCloud would take his place in the lineup, averaging 18.9 points per game while finishing second in the league with 257 three-point field goals. However, second-year star Jason Kidd and Jim Jackson had trouble getting along, and Roy Tarpley was banned from the NBA for violating their drug policy. The Mavericks suffered an 11-game losing streak in March, and finished fifth in the Midwest Division with a 26–56 record. Kidd made his first All-Star appearance as he was selected to play in the 1996 NBA All-Star Game.
Also in March, Ross Perot, Jr. purchased the team from founder Don Carter. Following the season, Popeye Jones was traded to the Toronto Raptors, Lucious Harris signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Lorenzo Williams signed with the Washington Bullets.