10 most valuable contracts in the NBA
By Bryce Olin
6. Dirk Nowitzki (3 years, $25 million)
This is where the most valuable contracts start to get really tricky. If Dirk Nowitzki wanted anything but to win another championship and be competitive every season, he would be making Amar’e Stoudamire money. Instead, Nowitzki has taken a giant pay cut in order for the Mavericks to stay competitive in the West.
Last season, Nowitzki had his best season since the Mavs won the NBA title in the 2010-11 season. Based on his age and what he accomplished after a down year, this season might have actually been Nowitzki’s best.
| Season | MP | FG% | 3P% | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 ★ | 32.9 | .497 | .398 | .899 | 6.2 | 2.7 | 0.9 | 21.7 |
| Career | 35.9 | .476 | .383 | .879 | 8.1 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 22.5 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 8/22/2014.
Dirk finished the season with a 23.68 PER, the fourth highest mark among power forwards. He also had the highest Real Plus/Minus ranking among power forwards of 6.35, proving how good Dirk and the Mavs were when he was on the court last season. For those unfamiliar with RPM, it’s a calculation of good a team is, offensively and defensively, with a player on the court. It also helps determine how much impact that player had on the court.
There’s no way to think he should only be make $8.5 million per season. I will remind you that the Orlando Magic just paid Channing Frye $8 million per season to be a poor, poor man’s Dirk. That’s how valuable Dirk’s contract is right now.