Fansided

5 reasons Dirk Nowitzki needs to join the Golden State Warriors

By John Buhler

Nov 28, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrates making a three point shot against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Nuggets 92-81. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) celebrates making a three point shot against the Denver Nuggets during the second half at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Nuggets 92-81. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 16, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) watches his team on the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in game one of their first round NBA Playoffs series at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) watches his team on the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the third quarter in game one of their first round NBA Playoffs series at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

3. He’ll play longer with less minutes.

Nowitzki needs to savor every last ounce of basketball he has left if he wants to win one more NBA Championship. While he probably will go out like Kobe Bryant did with the Los Angeles Lakers and Tim Duncan almost certainly will with the San Antonio Spurs as a full-time starter on just one NBA franchise, would a sixth man sort of role with the Warriors be better for Nowitzki’s chances to win another title?

With Golden State, Nowitzki would have the luxury of being the fourth to seventh guy in the Warriors’ deep rotation, meaning he wouldn’t have to play the most amount of minutes of anybody on the team like he has had to do in Dallas.

As a member of the Warriors, Nowitzki would certainly receive less minutes than Curry, Thompson, Green, and probably Iguodala. 25 minutes or so a night with Golden State either as a fourth or fifth starter or a sixth man might be enough to extend Nowitzki’s career a year or two longer than he could in still being the face of the Mavericks in Dallas.

Nowitzki won’t be able to play for the Mavericks into his 40s with the amount of minutes Carlisle needs him to play just to get a No. 6-8 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. With Golden State, Nowitzki could play into his early 40s if he really wanted to.

Next: 2. Golden State's big three.

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