Nowitzki will play next season barring 'drastic change'
Dirk Nowitzki thinks he has one more season left in the tank.
After signing a two-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks last summer, the 7-foot German has every intention of honoring the entirety of the contract and plans to return for his 20th season.
"I think so ... unless something drastic changes here in the next few weeks or the last few weeks of the season, which I don't anticipate," Nowitzki told Marc Stein on ESPN's "TrueHoop Conversations" podcast.
"I said last summer: I signed a two-year deal (and) that obviously meant I want to play for two more," Nowitzki said. "I want to complete that deal."
Whether he returns or not, the 38-year-old will go down as one of the greatest big men in NBA history after revolutionizing the position of power forward with his perimeter-oriented style.
"Twenty is a great number," Nowitzki told Stein. "I think 20 seasons also with one team, like I'm trying to do it - I think only Kobe has done it - that's another great accomplishment. So I kinda want to make the 20 fold. Plus that summer I'm turning 40. I think that's also a good number to be in the league ... from 20 to 40. That's what I'm looking at."
After suffering an Achilles injury earlier this season, Nowitzki suggested in December that 2016-17 could be his last season.
"'Hopefully I'll finish this season out strong, and then have a decent year, hopefully not as (many) injuries next year," Nowitzki said this week.