Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki Says he has Already Talked to Dwight Howard
By Bryan Rose
Los Angeles Lakers star Dwight Howard is technically not a free agent yet, so teams and opposing players aren’t supposed to speak to him about playing for their respective franchise as the NBA considers it tampering.
Dirk Nowitzki didn’t give a crap.
The face of the Dallas Mavericks, risking a team fine, has said that he’s already spoken to Dwight and is attempting to lure the big man to Dallas.
Per the Star Telegram:
"It’s a philosophy Nowitzki, who turned 35 last week, has easily bought into. That’s why he’s already had a conversation with Howard about a union in Dallas.“I reached out to him and told him we’d love to have him,” Nowitzki said. “It’s not like we call each other every day.“I didn’t write him a letter. We just had a little phone contact. That’s about it.”With Howard patrolling the middle for the Mavs, Nowitzki knows he would have an excellent shot at winning another NBA championship before he retires.“To me, when he’s healthy he’s the most dominant big man in the league,” Nowitzki said of Howard. “He’s shown that at the end of the season when he was right what he can still do.“He can dominate on both ends of the floor if he feels healthy, he can still use his athleticism. He’s a beast on both ends of the floor.”"
While the NBA has already fined the Sacramento Kings, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks for tampering it’s unlikely Dirk and the Mavs should see any punishment from this. Not to mention, even if they did, it would be a fine Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would happily pay if Dirk’s advances brought Dwight to the Big D.