So far, the best deal in the 2014 NBA free agency belongs to Dirk Nowitzki who, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, has agreed to resign with the Dallas Mavericks for three years worth $30 million. The final year of the contract is reported to have a player option and a no-trade clause - Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan are the only players who have no-trade clauses in their contract aside from Nowitzki.
Nowitzki has already made it known in the past that he wishes to stay and Dallas and end his career as a Maverick. You have to commend Nowitzki though, not just for his loyalty but for his love for the Mavs. He is leaving a lot of money on the table in so the team can have the cap space to acquire marquee free agents this offseason and perhaps make a deep run in the playoffs.
Obviously, Nowitzki is way more than the $10 million a year deal that he has committed to sign with the Mavs. He was back in his All-Star form last year, averaging 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, while managing to shoot the ball incredibly well for the 16th time in his career converting 49% of his field goals, 39% of his three pointers, and 89% of his free throws as he flirted with the exclusive 50-40-90 stat line--Nowitzki became the fifth member of the NBA's 50-40-90 Club in the 2006-2007 season.
And at age 35, the Big German has plenty of gas left in the tank as he posted a 23.6 PER and a 60.3 true shooting percentage, according to Basketball-Reference.com, which are both impressive numbers that only the best in the league can achieve. Nowitzki is also an efficient scorer who shines in the playoffs.
Nowitzki's discount signing allows the Mavs to maintain adequate cap room needed in their pursuit of marquee free agents. Right now, they already have Monta Ellis and Tyson Chandler with roughly $17 million left in the cap room to pay anyone who wants to play with a genius Head Coach in Rick Carlisle and a legend in Nowitzki.
You really can't find anything wrong with this deal even if Nowitzki starts to decline the next couple of years. As long as he remains healthy and continues to shoot the basket at an efficient rate, this is a value signing that probably won't be topped this summer of the 2014 NBA free agency.
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