what year did steve nash play for the mavericks?
1998–99 NBA season
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 In the 1999 – 2000 NBA season , Don Nelson wanted to use Nowitzki as a point forward to make use of his passing skills . However , one of the most important moves was made off the hardwood : until then , the owner of the Mavericks was Ross Perot , Jr . , who had bought the franchise for $ 125 million , but had no plans of investing in players and admitted he knew little of basketball . On January 4 , 2000 , he sold the Mavericks to Internet billionaire Mark Cuban for $ 280 million . Cuban quickly invested into the Mavericks and restructured the franchise , attending every game at the sidelines , buying the team a $ 46 million six @-@ star Boeing 757 for traveling , and increasing franchise revenues to over $ 100 million . Nowitzki lauded Cuban : " He created the perfect environment ... we only have to go out and win . " As a result of Nelson 's tutelage , Cuban 's improvements and his own progress , Nowitzki significantly improved his averages . The second @-@ year pro now averaged 17 @.@ 5 points , 6 @.@ 5 rebounds and 2 @.@ 5 assists per game in 35 @.@ 8 minutes , had nine double @-@ double games , and scored a career @-@ high 32 points twice . He was voted runner @-@ up in the NBA Most Improved Player Award behind Jalen Rose , and made it into the NBA All @-@ Star Sophomore squad along with peers Paul Pierce and Vince Carter . In the traditional Rookie @-@ Sophomore match , he scored 17 points , grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in an overtime loss against the rookie team led by Steve Francis and Lamar Odom . The 7 @-@ foot @-@ 0 @-@ inch ( 2 @.@ 13 m ) Nowitzki also was chosen for the NBA All @-@ Star Three Point Shootout , becoming the tallest player ever to participate . After draining 15 shots in the first shootout , he entered the final round , where he finished as runner @-@ up to Jeff Hornacek . While he improved on an individual level , the Mavericks missed the playoffs after a mediocre 40 – 42 season . 

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 After failing to sign coveted free agents Deron Williams and Steve Nash , the Mavericks retooled their roster by letting go of Jason Kidd , Jason Terry and Brendan Haywood , and acquiring younger players such as O. J. Mayo , Darren Collison , as well as veteran big men Chris Kaman and Elton Brand . Nowitzki plans to play out the remainder of his 4 @-@ year , 80 million dollar contract that expires in 2014 . Nowitzki underwent knee surgery in October 2012 and missed the first 27 games of the season . He returned on December 23 , 2012 , in a game against San Antonio . 

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 Houston was again given the first pick of the 1984 NBA Draft , and they used it to select Hakeem Olajuwon from the University of Houston . In his first season , Olajuwon finished second to Michael Jordan in NBA Rookie of the Year balloting , and the Rockets record improved by 19 games , although they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs . 

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 In 1985 , following in the footsteps of Einhorn who had purchased a United States Football League franchise in 1984 , he purchased the Chicago Bulls as part of a syndicate for US $ 16 million and quickly turned the team from one that averaged 6 @,@ 365 fans per game at the 17 @,@ 339 @-@ seat Chicago Stadium in 1985 into one with an 8 @,@ 000 @-@ person season ticket waiting list . He did so by drafting Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen , and trading for Bill Cartwright to join John Paxson and Michael Jordan under the tutelage of head coach Doug Collins . In 1989 , the team signed Phil Jackson as the final piece of the championship puzzle . From November 20 , 1987 through Jordan 's 1999 retirement the Bulls sold out every game . 

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 On July 3 , 2013 , the Rockets omitted White 's name from its Orlando Summer League roster , which was conspicuous according to Houston Chronicle writer Jonathan Feigen . Two days later , several news outlets confirmed that White and the rights to Furkan Aldemir had been traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for future considerations , which helped Houston clear $ 1 @.@ 7 million of salary cap space to help sign Dwight Howard . As White waited for the trade to be approved , he played in a YMCA league . On July 13 , the 76ers announced the deal officially . White participated in voluntary offseason workouts with the team and was expected to participate in training camp when it began on September 28 . On September 27 , at media day , White stated that he planned to travel with the team when necessary ( even on its pre @-@ season trip to Spain ) . However , White did not make the October 4 trip with the team to Spain . The press reported that 14 players traveled with the team and 5 did not . CBS Sports journalist Matt Moore gave three possible reasons for White 's absence : 1 . ) goodwill effort by the team , 2 . ) a sign the team plans to waive him , 3 . ) a conditioning issue . Philadelphia Daily News reporter Bob Cooney tweeted , " White , who suffers from anxiety disorder , planned to make the flight but team ' gave him a pass , ' source told me . " According to 76ers coach Brett Brown , " It really was just based on our team doctor giving me and [ general manager ] Sam [ Hinkie ] and the club advice that it may be best for him to remain at home . " The box score from the first game of the road trip indicates that 15 players traveled with the team and 5 did not . On October 25 , 2013 , White was waived by the 76ers as they cut their roster from 20 to 16 before the October 28 deadline to reach a 15 @-@ man roster . The move was described as surprising to various NBA analysts such as NJ.com 's Eliot Shorr @-@ Parks and Bleacher Report 's Joe Flynn . On October 24 , USA Today had run an article suggesting that White was fairly certain to make the team . By mid @-@ December , White was living in Chadds Ford Township , Pennsylvania with his wife and children aged 2 @.@ 5 years and 6 months and had switched agents from Andrew Vye of ASM Sports to George Bass of AAI Sports . 
