On Monday, Dirk Nowitzki finalized a one-year contract valued at $5 million with the Dallas Mavericks. This deal extends his longstanding tenure with the team to a record-breaking 21 seasons, remaining the only team he has ever played for.
The new agreement positions Nowitzki to surpass Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers for the longest continuous stint with a single NBA team in history.
Ahead of his 41st birthday, Nowitzki demonstrated his readiness to embrace any role necessary for the team, as sources familiar with the negotiations report his willingness to play in a reduced capacity if needed.
Looking towards the upcoming season, the Mavericks may request Nowitzki to transition to a bench role to surpass Wilt Chamberlain as the NBA’s fifth all-time leading scorer, following the acquisition of veteran center DeAndre Jordan in free agency. Nowitzki has shown approval for this change, as Dallas plans to integrate Jordan with their core of Dennis Smith Jr., Harrison Barnes, and Luka Doncic.
Originally drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks as the 9th overall pick in 1998, Nowitzki was swiftly traded to the Mavericks on draft night.
Nowitzki boasts an impressive NBA record, securing the league MVP title in the 2006-07 season and clinching his sole league championship in 2011, leading the Mavericks to victory over the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals and earning the Finals MVP award. Additionally, he stands as one of just six players, and the sole international player, to surpass 30,000 career points.
His $5 million contract for the upcoming season echoes the amount he would have been guaranteed for the 2018-19 season, the second year of a two-year deal he signed the previous summer.
