Sources: Nowitzki to opt out of contract

[AzStevenCal]

Dirk can get $15M-$20M. He is not playing for minimum or even mid level exemption ($5M-$6M).
I can see him signing for $10M-$12M maybe, but not for 1/3 of what he could make. It's just not going to happen. If Suns can find somebody to take Barbosa for nothing, MAYBE, but I really think Dirk is opting out just to get a bigger, long-term deal from Cuban.

There will be no Dirk and no Amare next year. There will be no picks either.

I don't think anyone is seriously counting on us adding Dirk to our current nucleus; although, come to think of it he'd be a nice replacement for Frye. I was exaggerating when I put it in the million to one range but I agree Dirk to Phoenix is a real long shot especially at a minimum contract.

However, I could see Dirk taking a minimum contract for one year if he thought it meant winning a championship. It's hard to put a dollar amount when adding that to your resume but it definitely adds value. I just suspect he'll find a better chance elsewhere should he decide to leave Dallas and he'll probably be able to do it without such a huge paycut.

Steve

 

[AzStevenCal]

If Stoudemire leaves, maybe that makes it easier to keep Frye, who has bounced back admirably from his horrific shooting slump. Then you shop Barbosa for a disgruntled second-tier big man. There are options.

I really think Amare is a true step above David Lee but would we really be all that worse off against the Lakers if that had been David out there instead? Granted, we probably limp in with the 8th seed without Amare but he's been such a disappointment since carrying us for those 2 months.

I only bring up Lee because I just don't think there are all that many PF options for us. Personally, I'd rather see if we couldn't make a move to get Kevin Love. Not sure if he could play next to Robin but I'd like to find out and there do seem to be issues with him and Rambis.

Steve

 

[Lorenzo]

If you were to swap Dirk and Amare which team would be better? To me, it would clearly be Phoenix. Now, if we were to re-sign Amare and Dirk agreed to play for the minimum we'd have a chance to compete with that group of players that are all discussing their future as a group (James, Wade, Johnson and Bosh).



I think you're rewriting history here. Dirk continued to improve, as did Nash, and each of them have peaked after their separation but Dirk was so much better than a "developing stages" player. And there couldn't have been more than a handful of Mavs fans on the planet that didn't already consider Dirk an elite player while Nash was still there.

Steve

no way am I trying to rewrite history. we may just have a difference of opinion. when dirk and nash were paired the mavs hit a bump in the road in 2004. dirk was not a elite player. he was an allstar. but there is a difference between an all-star and a elite player. in many ways nash was overlooked in dallas because outside of dirk and michael finley they had no help. when nash came to phoenix he was paired with the best pick and roll finisher in the game, a young joe johnson, and a surplus of 3 point shooters and overnight he was the MVP. I think dirk as well had a good supporting cast around him when nash left, but his game elevated, particularly in the post. That was something dirk wasn't great at early in his career. He developed that craft after steve left and went from all star to elite. remember...marion was an all-star as well....there are many all stars in the game. there aren't very many elite players.

 

[Lorenzo]

I think if (big big IF) Dirk wants to win a championship so bad that he doesn't mind small paycheck (doesn't have to be minimum, but small), he will choose an Eastern team and I think it's going to be Miami. Some people keep talking about Wade/Lebron combo. I can't imagine that combo works out well. Both seems to be playing in similar ways.

I think Dirk will stay in Mavs but Mavs will get rid of many chokers (including Jet who I hate the most).

I think dirk would elect to opt out for two reasons. 1 he doesn't want to play next year on a one year contract, just as any player in his position who has a few solid years left in the tank wouldn't. it is a huge risk financially. so that pretty much eliminates the idea that he would take a one year deal somewhere else. if he is turning down 20 mil in dallas, why would he play for 10 mil(one year) somewhere else? that makes no sense.
the second reason dirk would opt out is to work that long term deal, help create some financial space, and create some negotiation power with cuban on making changes with the current team. it is clear that dirk is not happy with the current standing of the mavs and I think his statement after the SA loss was indicative of the fact that he wants to see progress from the front office rather than wanting to walk away completely.

 

[AzStevenCal]

no way am I trying to rewrite history. we may just have a difference of opinion. when dirk and nash were paired the mavs hit a bump in the road in 2004. dirk was not a elite player. he was an allstar. but there is a difference between an all-star and a elite player. in many ways nash was overlooked in dallas because outside of dirk and michael finley they had no help. when nash came to phoenix he was paired with the best pick and roll finisher in the game, a young joe johnson, and a surplus of 3 point shooters and overnight he was the MVP. I think dirk as well had a good supporting cast around him when nash left, but his game elevated, particularly in the post. That was something dirk wasn't great at early in his career. He developed that craft after steve left and went from all star to elite. remember...marion was an all-star as well....there are many all stars in the game. there aren't very many elite players.

Nothing personal, but I think you're either re-writing history or you're re-writing the dictionary. You said he was a "developing player" until Nash left, following which he became an elite player. Prior to Nash leaving, Dirk had made the 2nd team All-NBA team at least twice. And in my book, that's a heck of a lot closer to elite than developing.

I don't contest that he continued to improve but you're description doesn't hold water, IMO. Also, a lot of his next stage of improvement was simply the result of bringing in a center and allowing Dirk to drop the extra weight he had put on in order to play down low.

Steve

 

[Lorenzo]

Nothing personal, but I think you're either re-writing history or you're re-writing the dictionary. You said he was a "developing player" until Nash left, following which he became an elite player. Prior to Nash leaving, Dirk had made the 2nd team All-NBA team at least twice. And in my book, that's a heck of a lot closer to elite than developing.

I don't contest that he continued to improve but you're description doesn't hold water, IMO. Also, a lot of his next stage of improvement was simply the result of bringing in a center and allowing Dirk to drop the extra weight he had put on in order to play down low.

Steve

did he not continue to develop after nash left? so wouldn't that make him a developing player? I may have mispoken sure. I may need to check the dictionary as you say, but I think I can clarify what I mean by proving that the principle is still justified. Don Nelson, of golden state, himself said he was shocked by dirk's development after steve nash left. he said he knew steve nash was the best offensive point guard in the game, but never knew that dirk could elevate his game and carry a franchise the way he did after nash left. I give nowitzki a lot of credit. he is a great shooter and can take other big men off the dribble. early in his career that was his game and he did well making all nba teams and all stars. but it wasn't until nash left where the pressure shifted to his shoulders and he had to carry the mavs on his back every single night. and his greatest success wasn't overnight either. that first year without nash was a tough one for dirk and the mavs....in fact it was a stereotype around the nation that dirk lacked toughness and was not elite. It was thought that he could be simply neutralized and frustrated by placing a small forward on him(like shawn marion or bruce bowen). it took a couple of years before he started to really hit a groove. In some ways...maybe slightly....i would consider that development.

and you said if dirk and amare swapped places the suns would be better than dallas? did i read that correctly or am i misunderstanding? there are only a hand full of players in the league that have the overall offensive skill set that dirk has and only a few of those guys are better than dirk. although he is certainly close, i wouldn't put amare in that class. so unless dallas replaced dirk with one of those guys, which is unlikely, of corse the team gaining dirk would probably be better. especially if they already have another top 10 offensive player on their roster. something that dallas currently does not have...and dirk wants. so yes phoenix would be a desirable location if they could come close or match what dallas can give him financially. i would say highly unlikely still.