Last week, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said that Dirk Nowitzki gets what he wants. And whether he asked for it or not, the Mavs are increasing Nowitzki's contract to $50 million over the next two years, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.
Nowitzki agreed to terms earlier this month on a reported $40-million contract. The extra $10 million puts the 38-year-old's average salary at $25 million over the next two seasons - which by Nowitzki's own estimate figure to be his last in the NBA.
The second year of the contract is guaranteed for $5 million at the Mavericks' option, reports Stein. Nowitzki could choose to retire after this coming season, or play out the contract.
The increased salary can also be seen as a gesture of goodwill by Cuban. Nowitzki has been paid a below-market $8 million per season since 2014 in order to help facilitate the Mavs adding other talent. While that hasn't panned out in terms of marquee free agents, the team is confident this summer's additions of former Golden State Warriors forward Harrison Barnes and center Andrew Bogut - even with the loss of Chandler Parsons - will be a net positive.
"We've put together a nice little squad, I'm excited about it," Cuban said recently.
He later joked about another possible reason for Nowitzki's pay increase:
"I just wanted to pay him a dollar more than what Kobe got last year." -- kidding Mark Cuban on Dirk's deal (via @BenandSkin Show)
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 22, 2016
