Dirk Nowitzki to Think About His Options This Summer

Following their demoralizing, season-ending loss in San Antonio last night, the Mavs may need to convince Nowitzki that Dallas remains the right place to continue his career. Dirk didn’t sound entirely sure in the postgame presser. From The Dallas Morning News: “This time, after 12 seasons in Dallas, Nowitzki can exercise an option in his contract and become a free agent. All season, he said he could foresee no reason why he would use that option. But Thursday night, 31-year-old Nowitzki stopped well short of declaring himself a Maverick for life, ready to forge into an uncertain future with possibly another revamped Dallas roster. ‘I wanted to obviously have a long playoff run here and go for my dream again,’ Nowitzki said. ‘And now I’m just obviously too shocked and too disappointed. I haven’t really thought anything about my future yet. I guess I’ve got some time now to think about some stuff, think about my options.’ Gulp. That’s the sound of Mavericks fans swallowing hard at the mere thought of a future without Nowitzki. Nowitzki pointed out that he has until July to make a decision about his contract option. But in a moment of level-headed reflection amid the disappointment, Nowitzki added: ‘Everything’s too fresh right now. I’ve got some time to think about some stuff.’ If this was, heaven forbid, his final game as a Maverick, what a bizarre way to go out – and yet somehow fitting, given the scale of Dallas’ recent playoff failures.”