The Dallas Mavericks made a huge acquisition ahead of the NBA trade deadline, getting New York Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis in a seven-player blockbuster deal on Thursday afternoon.

Mavs icon Dirk Nowitzki, who's expected to retire at season's end, believes adding Porzingis alongside standout rookie Luka Doncic could set the team up favorably for years to come.

"If you have a chance to add a franchise-caliber player like Porzingis you've just gotta go for it," Nowitzki said, according to ESPN's Dan Murphy. "... He's mobile enough to play the four. He can be a spread five. He can move, block shots, post. Before he got hurt, he played a great all-around game. He's got the work ethic to be great. He's a good dude."

Porzingis hasn't played since February 2018 as he continues to recover from an ACL injury. He'll be a restricted free agent this summer, but he reportedly intends to sign a $4.5-million qualifying offer for next season. By doing so, the Latvian will become an unrestricted free agent in 2020 and would have the option to sign a five-year designated player max extension with Dallas.

Nowitzki is confident in the Mavericks' chances to retain Porzingis long term.

"We wouldn't have made the deal if we thought he was going to walk," Nowitzki said. "... Hopefully, he's going to like what he sees and he's going to get healthy and play well for us."