Report: Mavericks decline Dirk Nowitzki’s option, intend to sign him to new deal
The Dallas Mavericks have informed Dirk Nowitzki that they will not pick up his option for next season that would’ve paid him $25 million.
The Dallas Mavericks had an important — but easy — decision to make regarding the future of Dirk Nowitzki. In 2017-18, the German forward was set to earn a base salary $25 million, but it was on a team option.
Per ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Mavericks have declined that team option, meaning Nowitzki will need to sign a new contract to continue playing with Dallas. Nowitzki has played his entire career with the Mavericks and despite this news doesn’t appear likely to be playing elsewhere. Stein reports, Dallas hopes to sign the Mavericks’ superstar to a new two-year contract.
League sources say Dallas has informed Dirk Nowitzki that it will decline his $25 million option for next season to sign him to a new deal.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2017
League sources say that a new two-year deal for Nowitzki is among the options being strongly considered. Full story goes online momentarily
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 25, 2017
Nowitzki has been in the NBA for 19 seasons, all with the Dallas Mavericks. This past season with Dallas, Nowitzki averaged 14.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, on 44 percent shooting. The German has played his entire career with the Mavericks and if he signs a new deal would join Kobe Bryant as the only players in NBA history to play 20 years with the same team.
Since coming to Dallas in 1998-99, when Nowitzki was just 20-years old, he has won an NBA Championship in 2011, an MVP in 2007 and been to the All-Star game 13 different times. Nowitzki has been the greatest Maverick of all time and also one of the greatest NBA players ever.
He was one of the first players to be at least 7-feet tall and consistently hit the outside jump shot. For his career, Nowitzki shot 38 percent from three-point line. A lot of wing players can’t say the same, let alone a power forward.
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It won’t feel the same if the Mavs’ superstar was to wear a different jersey — similar to Tim Duncan or Kobe Bryant in their final days. All indications are that the Mavericks will keep Nowitzki on a new two-year contract.
Mark Cuban and the front office in Dallas won’t let their greatest player ever walk away and Nowitzki has always taken less money to re-sign with the team. Let’s see if they’re able to bring him back and what the price will be. That’ll be important in free agency, as it will determine their open salary cap space.