Dallas Mavericks To Ask Shawn Marion To Opt-Out Of Contract?

The Dallas Mavericks have made no secret about their desire to be big players in the 2013 and 2014 free agent bonanzas.

With a team payroll that has already been heavily slashed and one that will be nearly non-existent come next Summer, the Mavericks are set up to go large in the free agent sweepstakes, but they’d like a bit of assistance from one of their own to do so this Summer.

Currently scheduled to make just over $9 million dollars on a player option, forward Shawn Marion will apparently be asked by the Mavericks to opt-out, only so the Mavericks can re-sign him to a smaller deal.

Per ESPN Dallas:

"On how Dirk Nowitzki‘s intention to take a “significant” pay cut next summer will be incorporated into free agency sales pitches: “I just let Dirk say it. You know, we spent this weekend together [in Las Vegas]. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about what we’re going to do and how we’re going to do it.“I’m setting up times with [Shawn Marion] to talk to him. I’ll talk to Vince [Carter]. We’re going through and trying to get feedback from all of our guys. With Dirk, it’s obviously more important because of the contractual scenario."

For Marion, it’s a tough call. His name has already popped up in multiple trade rumors and refusing to take a pay-cut could eventually lead to being moved out of Big D, especially if Mavericks owner Mark Cuban zeros in on a big ticket free agent.