NBA Free Agency Rumors: Mavericks to re-sign Dirk Nowitzki

The Dallas Mavericks are going to be keeping the best player in their franchise. Dirk Nowitzki is going to re-sign a two-year deal with the Mavericks.

Mark Cuban wasn’t going to let Dirk Nowitzki go anywhere. The same player that started his career with the Dallas Mavericks in 1998-99 will now likely finish it there too.

Coming into the summer, the Mavericks had a team option on the German forward that would have paid him $25 million for the 2017-18 season. Dallas had an easy choice and declined that option, making Nowitzki a free agent. But the forward didn’t even consider any other city and wanted to re-work his deal with the Mavericks.

It seems like both sides have agreed to a contract that would ensure Nowitzki staying with Dallas. Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Dallas is re-signing their best player to a two-year, $10 million contract. Similar to his last contract, the second year is a team option that would allow him to be a free agent again next summer.

This is a deal that makes a whole lot of sense for both sides. Nowitzki gets to stay in Dallas, finish out his career and still make a decent amount for the final two seasons. For the Mavericks, they get to keep him at a team-friendly price that can help build the rest of the roster.

Nowitzki isn’t pulling the Kobe Bryant and putting the franchise in a difficult position, instead he’s pulling the Tim Duncan and allowing for the front office to build a legitimate roster around him.

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It still might not be enough for the middling Mavericks, who are trying to find the next face of their franchise. They have good pieces, between Harrison Barnes, Wesley Matthews and Dennis Smith Jr., but in a loaded Western Conference, it’s not nearly enough.

But regardless, the German superstar will ride out to the sunset in Dallas, especially with him turning 40 by the end of the contract.