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Dallas Mavericks Rumors: Dwight Howard Will Be Major Offseason Target, And Dirk Nowitzki May Take Pay Cut To Help Land Him

By Nathan Francis
Published on: 08:29 PST, May 13, 2016

The Dallas Mavericks are rumored to be making Dwight Howard a major offseason target, a move that could get a little help from Dirk Nowitzki.

Howard is expected to be a highly coveted free agent this summer when he opts out of his contract with the Houston Rockets and tests the open waters. At least a half-dozen teams have been connected to him, including the New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, and even his original NBA team, the Orlando Magic.

But the Dallas Mavericks could be the team with the highest interest, as a report from Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram claims that the star forward is “at the top of the Mavericks’ wish list” this offseason.

The Mavericks have already taken measures to make the most of Nowitzki’s final years. Price had previously reported that Nowitzki plans to opt-out of his contract with the Mavericks this summer and could be re-signing on more favorable terms.

NBC Sports noted that Dirk Nowitzki could be a move for the big man to earn more money. With the salary cap expected to make a big jump, he could get a raise by opting out and signing a new contract. But the report said it’s more likely that Nowitzki is willing to take something of a pay cut in order to help the team make one more run at an NBA title.

“That’s also an age where many players sacrifice to win a title, and Nowitzki has shown a willingness to do so. Accepting a lower salary could help the Mavericks sign another player. If Dallas strikes out in free agency, Nowitzki could always re-sign for more than the minimum he was willing to accept.”

The Mavericks would likely still have to move some more money around to find enough cap room to sign Dwight Howard, but it wouldn’t be too difficult a move if they really want him, NBC Sports noted.

There could be some problems with the idea of Dwight Howard going to the Dallas Mavericks, however. ESPN Radio host Matt Mosley noted in a chat with fans last week that Dirk was actually against the idea of the team signing Dwight Howard, so either he’s had a change of heart or at least one of the rumors isn’t true.

Mosley explained why, via SportsDay.

“Dirk doesn’t want Dwight Howard coming here, by the way. I think he’ll make that known in his talks with Donnie and Mark. This team needs a rim protector. But Howard isn’t someone you can build around at this point in his career. You make your best pitch to KD, but that won’t go anywhere.”

There are also lingering concerns about Dwight Howard’s declining health, as he’s been plagued by a number of back and knee issues. His once-explosive athleticism has declined while his offensive skills have failed to progress. Even though he had the support of two of the best low-post coaches in the NBA, Kevin McHale and Hakeem Olajuwon, Howard failed to develop his game during his stint in Houston, with a putrid free-throw percentage and a non-existent mid-range jumper.

If the Dallas Mavericks want to try giving Dirk Nowitzki one more NBA championship ring to end his career, going after the 30-something Howard would make more sense to them than it would to other teams. They aren’t in need of a young, up-and-coming player to build a team around, just another player who can contribute offense and defense to a team with a short championship window.

[Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images]

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