Re-Grading the Mavericks' Last 5 First-Round Picks

2. Josh Howard, SF/SG (2003 R1, P29): B

Josh Howard has been out of the Association for over a decade, so it's easy to forget about just how good the former ninth-overall pick was during his time in Dallas.

The ex-Wake Forest wing was a consistent presence throughout his first six seasons in the league. Suiting up in 400 games (359 starts) for the Mavericks during that stretch, Howard averaged 15.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 45.8% from the floor.

While Howard knew how to score the ball, it was his defense that helped him stand out. Although he never cracked an All-Defensive team, he finished 18th in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting twice and even earned a 2007 All-Star nod.

Unfortunately, Howard being a fan favorite wasn't good enough to keep him in town. The Mavericks traded him and three other players to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, and DeShawn Stevenson — a trio that accomplished next to nothing during their time with the franchise.

As for Howard, injuries plagued him for the remainder of his NBA career. He only played 76 games for three different franchises following the trade due to multiple ACL injuries, forcing him to retire in 2014. He's stayed involved in the sport, though, and has been coaching UNT Dallas' men's basketball team since 2020.

Even though it would've been nice to see a healthy end to his career, Howard was one of the Mavericks' better recent first-round picks.