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When Dirk Nowitzki Received $90 Million Deal From Lakers And Rockets, But He Took $25 Million From Mavericks
Although Dirk Nowitzki’s name is synonymous with the Dallas Mavericks, NBA fans could have spotted the German in purple & gold or the fancy red. Read on to know more.
In 1998, Dirk Werner Nowitzki entered the NBA as a seven-foot-tall promising player who was eager to prove his potential and become a star in the league. Fast forward to 2023, the proud German is a 14-time NBA All-Star, 4-time All NBA First Team select, regular season MVP (2007), NBA Champion (2011), and Finals MVP (2011).
Nowitzki played basketball with passion and served a monumental role in the Mavericks’ success during his time with the Franchise. For years, players and team management across the league were aware of Nowitzki’s dedication and his leadership capabilities. However, if those teams had their way, we might have spotted Nowitzki in the unlikeliest of places.
Dirk turned down Lucrative deals to stay in Dallas
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Nowitzki was offered multi-year $92 million deals from both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets. During the 2014 free agency.
While the Lakers wanted to pair Nowitzki with Kobe Bryant who was skilled but past his prime, the Rockets wanted to strongarm their talented roster with the help of Nowitzki’s experience and skill set.
Although both the offers were highly promising and lucrative, Dirk re-signed with the Mavericks for a three-year $25 million deal and chose to stay loyal to the team that took a chance on a 20-year-old hooper out of Wurzburg. 
Why Dirk chose to stay with the Mavs
Besides pure loyalty, Nowitzki stayed with the Mavs because he wanted to serve as a guiding light for younger talent and work towards another shot at the NBA title. As per ESPN, Nowitzki took a reported $5 million paycut to facilitate the Mavericks signing restricted free agent forward Chandler Parsons to a three-year, $46 million deal.
The Mavs were coming off of a decent 2013-14 season in which they won 49 games and pushed the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the first round. That season, Nowitzki averaged 21.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game.
Dirk’s Legacy in the NBA
Throughout the highs and lows Nowitzki experienced with the Dallas Mavericks, he stayed committed and took the organization to unbelievable heights. Nowitzki was spectacular during the 2010 and 2011 playoff run and worked hard to defeat the Lebron and Dwayne Wade-led Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.
In the 2011 finals, Nowitzki averaged 26 points, 9.7 rebounds, and two assists in six games and helped the Mavs in winning their first-ever NBA title.
Dirk Nowitzki’s unwavering loyalty to Dallas is among the few times when a player dedicated his entire career for the same team. Not only will he be remembered forever as one of the best achievers in the league history, but also as one of the finest European exports to play in the NBA.
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