Dirk Nowitzki’s time in an NBA uniform is getting closer to the end and he knows it. As Dirk is getting set to start his 18th season in the NBA, the 37 year old sharp-shooting forward isn’t the player he once was.
The former MVP is coming into the 2015 season with the Mavs missing out on a big prize free agent in DeAndre Jordan and he has a bit of a new cast surrounding him. Deron Williams, Zaza Pachulia and Wes Matthews – when healthy – are all slated to be starters for the Mavs going into next season and although this season the Mavs aren’t going to be making a title push, it’s not all over yet for Dirk. Mavs fans have him for a couple more seasons.
Following from Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News at the Mavs media day.
Any retirement thoughts in the back of his head as he enters this season?
“Obviously it gets closer, but it’s not like I’m thinking of the beach every day. I want to play two more years under contract here, hopefully at a high level, compete, hopefully be efficient when I’m out there. And then retirement obviously comes soon enough. But as of now, I still think I can play at a high level. I’m going to work my butt off here these four weeks to get in the best shape I can get, and then leave it all out there again.”
Will he wait until after his current two-year contract expires to ponder retirement?
“Obviously if you know me a little bit I’m not going to do what some of these athletes do and announce it the year before and have a farewell tour. That’s the worst thing that I can think about, (have to) talk about every day. When I’m gone, I’m gone. That’s how it’s going to go.”
It’s been long thought that Dirk signing this cap friendly contract with the Mavs last summer was going to be his farewell deal with the team. Dirk is a lifetime member of the Mavericks so it would be crazy to see him go somewhere else. Could he re-sign after current deal expires? Absolutely but the team has to be a title contender or it would be difficult to see him return at age 39.
