Dirk Nowitzki told Mark Cuban that the Mavericks weren’t good last year

The Mavericks had an interesting year last season. They were without Dirk for most of it, and they struggled mightily. They signed Darren Collison to  fix their issues at point guard, and he was benched in favor of Mike James–that should tell you everything. They also had OJ Mayo, but he wasn’t exactly playing up to par either. Before the season started, Dirk told owner Mark Cuban that the guards weren’t going to play well, Cuban told ESPN Radio in Dallas:

"Something that I haven’t said publicly, I remember last year when we went to Europe, and I was kind of excited like I normally am, and we had gotten Darron [Collison], and we had gotten Kaman, and Elton Brand, and O.J., and I thought we kind of were fortunate to get the guys we did, and Dirk came up to me and said, ‘We can’t pass, and we can’t shoot. Our guards aren’t there.’ This is the preseason, and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ and he’s like, ‘Sorry, bro.’ And Dirk is kind of a Debbie-downer. He and J-Kidd were always that way where it was always the worst ever, and then he digs in and he’s a warrior, but that was the first time I’d ever really heard him say anything that negative, and he was right. This year, you talk to Dirk, and he just smiles and shakes his head. And when you get that out of Dirk, that shows that I think he’s fired up, he’s ready."

The Mavs missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons, and finished 41-41, which was actually due to a late season charge they made when Nowitzki returned. The Mavericks could be better this season, but don’t expect another playoff berth this season.

H/T: Dallas Morning News via PBT