NBA Rumors: Dirk Nowitzki Does Not Want Dallas Mavericks To Sign Dwight Howard

NBA rumors are swirling around Dirk Nowitzki. The legendary Dallas Mavericks forward is getting closer to the end of his career. Management is intent on building a roster around Nowitzki that can help him compete for one more championship in the National Basketball Association. Several free agents will be wined and dined this summer. According to the Dallas Morning News, Nowitzki does not want Dwight Howard to be one of those players courted by Mark Cuban and Rick Carlisle.

The commitment and loyalty between Mark Cuban and Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best in professional sports. The former is willing to do anything and pay anything to ensure that the 7’0? forward gets to compete for an NBA Championship on a yearly basis. That’s why Cuban was so upset when DeAndre Jordan went back on his word and opted to return to the Los Angeles Clippers instead of joining the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.

Dirk Nowitzki has given quite a bit to the Dallas Mavericks. He has willingly taken pay cuts to enable the franchise to have more salary cap space to pursue free agents that can help them compete. Nowitzki also has a lot of faith in management, trusting them to find the right players for him. Dirk has even stated that he would love to finish his career with the only team that he has ever played for in the NBA.

Dwight Howard is expected to opt out of his contract with the Houston Rockets this summer. He wants to become a free agent. Now is the perfect time because Howard can receive more money than usual. The salary cap in the NBA will be at an all-time record high. Howard is 30 years old, but he can still be one of the better big men in the league.

Center is one of the positions that the Dallas Mavericks will look to upgrade this summer. Zaza Pachulia did a much better job than anyone expected. However, he’s not the type of player that the franchise can call a building block. Pachulia is a notch below Dwight Howard. Mark Cuban is going to want to contact Howard to see what his asking price is going to be. If it is reasonable, then Cuban might be tempted.

If Dirk Nowitzki really doesn’t want Dwight Howard, then it could be because he doesn’t feel that Howard is the right sidekick for him. The German forward might prefer that the Dallas Mavericks spend that salary cap space on other players. Howard also has a reputation in the NBA of not taking the game seriously enough. Some feel that Dwight simply is happy to play basketball. Through the media, Howard has been trying to convince people that he cares greatly about a championship, which means that he has heard the whispers.

There are other options for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency. Hassan Whiteside is available. The Miami Heat center is younger than Dwight Howard. Whiteside is also putting up better numbers. If the Mavericks are looking to place a greater priority on point guard, then an interesting option would be Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies.

The possibility that Dirk Nowitzki is against the Dallas Mavericks signing Dwight Howard is a fascinating story. The veteran has a history of allowing management to do their thing in free agency and the draft. The fact that he might interfere shows that he knows the end of his career in the NBA is coming around the corner. Nowitzki has earned the right, so management will more likely do as he wishes this upcoming summer.