Dirk Nowitzki seems to primarily desire two things:
- To play for the Mavericks.
- To win.
But they haven’t won a playoff series since their 2011 championship, creating just a little unrest. If Nowitzki couldn’t achieve both objects in Dallas, would he consider leaving?
The question, never loud, became a little more pressing when the Mavericks failed to sign primary targets Mike Conley and Hassan Whiteside and let Chandler Parsons leave for the Grizzlies.
Apparently, Dallas made amends by agreeing to sign Harrison Barnes, re-sign Deron Williams and Dwight Powell, trade for Andrew Bogut and sign Seth Curry
And throwing money at Nowitzki. Lots and lots of money.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
Story online soon @espn: Mavs and Dirk Nowitzki have come to terms on the framework of a new two-year, $40 million deal, league sources say.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 5, 2016
Finer details are still being finalized, sources say, but Dirk will have an annual wage in the $20 million range for the rest of his career
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 5, 2016
Nowitzki opted out of a contract that would’ve paid him $8,692,184 this season. So, this is a substantial raise.
He took less on his previous deal to help the Mavericks add talent, but that never produce the major results Nowitzki sought.
If Dallas can’t add stars, Nowitzki might as well get paid now. This team should still be decently competitive, too. The lack of championship upside required appeasing Nowitzki financially.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Nowitzki’s new deal contains a player option. That way, if the Mavericks are positioned to add a star or two next summer, he could opt out to take less and facilitate it if he wants. Or he could keep his higher salary. It’d be his call.
