Nowitzki 'not going to sign Kobe's deal' in free agency
Don't expect Dirk Nowitzki to cash in on what may be his final contract to the tune of the two-years and $48.5 million that Kobe Bryant received from the Los Angeles Lakers this season.
The Dallas Morning News spoke with Nowitzki on Monday, and he reiterated that he plans to play a while longer. He also recognizes the reality of his situation in the salary cap era:
So yeah, I still think I’m going to play a couple more years at a high level. And we’ll just have to wait and see, meet with Mark (Cuban) a bunch. I’m not going anywhere for a while.
...
We want to get better as a team. And I’m pretty sure I’m not going to sign Kobe’s deal – unfortunately. We’ll find a good way where I feel respected for what I did and we still have enough money left for us to get great players in here.
The 35-year-old Nowitzki is an unrestricted free agent this summer but has been pretty clear that he'd like to return to Dallas. Naturally, the feeling is mutual.
How much Nowitzki signs for could have a major impact on how the Mavericks' offseason plays out. He made $22.7 million this season but seems likely to take a pay cut, allowing the Mavs to capitalize on what should be an appreciable amount of cap room.
The sharpshooting German is still going strong in his mid-30s, having averaged 21.7 points on 49.7 percent shooting this season. His team, however, suffered a first round defeat and he now hasn't left the first round since winning the NBA Championship in 2010-11.
[Dap: EOB]