We knew that Dirk Nowitzki was going to take a healthy pay cut because he wanted to stay in Dallas.
But now that we have the details of what he gave up…. damn.
Mark Stein has the story of how the Lakers and Rockets tried to poach Nowitzki but instead he shot them down and took even less than Tim Duncan to help out the Mavericks.
ESPN sources say Dirk Nowitzki has taken bigger pay cut than previously thought. Deal finalized today at three years, $25 mil for Mavs lifer
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 15, 2014
Anticipated deal for Dirk was a structure like Tim Duncan's deal w/Spurs, but he took $5 mil less to help facilitate Chandler Parsons move
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 15, 2014
Story going online now detailing how Rockets AND Lakers called w/max offers for Nowitzki, but he rebuffed all outside interest to stay w/DAL
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 15, 2014
That’s a lot of money left on the table.
Nowitzki wasn’t leaving Dallas anyway, but certainly not to team up with Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles. He would actually be a great fit on the Rockets’ roster, but Houston had to know he would never do that to Mark Cuban and the Mavericks fans. Worth a shot, but they knew the answer.
Dirk made a sacrifice for the Mavericks, but this is a guy who has cleared more than $200 million in salary since he entered the league and has made more than $15 million eight straight years. Mavs owner Mark Cuban would have given Nowitizki whatever he wanted, but Dirk was willing to make the sacrifice.
It’s a very different situation than LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, two guys in their prime earning years who some fans wanted to see take less. That would just be another win for the owners in the last CBA, which was already a complete rout.
Dirk’s sacrifice could pay off on the court — Dallas has a very interesting lineup now starting Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons, Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler. Even in a deep West that is a very dangerous team.
