The 1996–97 NBA season was the Mavericks' 17th season in the National Basketball Association. The Mavericks had the ninth pick in the 1996 NBA draft, and selected Samaki Walker out of Louisville. In the off-season, the team signed free agents Chris Gatling, Oliver Miller, and former Mavs guard Derek Harper, and acquired Eric Montross from the Boston Celtics, and signed undrafted rookie guard Erick Strickland. Under new head coach Jim Cleamons, the Mavericks struggles continued with a 4–10 start in November. With the team not showing any improvement, they traded All-Star guard Jason Kidd to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for second-year star Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and A.C. Green in late December.