Dirk Nowitzki Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Dirk Nowitzki Not Ruling Out Playing Next Season

February 16th, 2019 at 12:23pm CST by marksuleymanov

In his record-setting 21st season with the same NBA team, Dirk Nowitzki is being treated like a player who will retire at season’s end, but the Mavericks legend is not fully committed to the idea.

Speaking to reporters, including Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News, at NBA All-Star Media in Charlotte Saturday, Nowitzki said he will re-evaluate how he feels after the 2018/19 season before deciding on retirement.

“It’s been humbling, even though I haven’t said this will be it,” Nowitzki said. “I’m going to wait and see the last couple of weeks, how my body feels and if I continue to see improvement and I’m still having fun, we’ll see.”

Nowitzki, 40, was added to the All-Star game along with Dwyane Wade — who confirmed the 2018/19 campaign will be his last — in honor of his likely Hall of Fame career. The German big man missed the started of the season due to ankle surgery but has carved out a role off Dallas’ bench. In 28 games, Nowitzki is averaging 4.7 PPG and 1.7 RPG in 11 minutes per contest — all career-lows.

While the production is a far cry from his MVP-type production a decade earlier, Nowitzki remains a valuable veteran in the Mavericks’ locker room. Nowitzki has served as a mentor for fellow European and Rookie of the Year candidate Luka Doncic. After Dallas acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the Knicks, Nowitzki expressed excitement in mentoring the fellow 7’0″-plus European.

If Nowitzki returns for another season, it would likely be in a role similar to the one he has played this year. The appeal of playing alongside a more seasoned Doncic and a healthy Porzingis — who is not expected to play in 2018/19 as he rehabs from ACL surgery — could entice Nowitzki into one more season.

Stein’s Latest: Porzingis, Heat, Raptors, Kings

February 12th, 2019 at 3:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Marc Stein of The New York Times reported last week that after meeting with Knicks‘ management, Kristaps Porzingis‘ camp gave the team a four-team list of preferred destinations in the event of a trade, with the Nets and Clippers among those would-be landing spots. In his latest newsletter for The New York Times, Stein fills in the other half of that wish list, reporting that the Heat and Raptors were also on it.

Of course, the Mavericks weren’t on the reported four-team list, which – as Stein explained last week – is one reason why the Knicks elected to move quickly and send Porzingis to Dallas. While Porzingis will only be a restricted – rather than an unrestricted – free agent this summer, it still might have cost the Knicks some leverage in trade talks if that wish list had leaked.

Here’s more from Stein’s latest newsletter:

Before sending Porzingis to Dallas, the Knicks made an effort to engage with the Kings on a potential swap involving Marvin Bagley III, but Sacramento “flatly rejected” those inquiries, according to Stein. Last week, Stein reported that the Kings had a similar response when New York asked about De’Aaron Fox.
Stein argues that the Suns‘ trade for Tyler Johnson was “far tougher to digest” than their decision to buy out Tyson Chandler so early in the season, since the deal with Miami saved the Heat a ton of money and didn’t address Phoenix’s most glaring need (a true point guard).
Stein’s newsletter also features a Q&A with Dirk Nowitzki, in which the Mavericks‘ longtime power forward discusses his involvement in All-Star weekend, his somewhat “frosty” history with Dwyane Wade, and Luka Doncic‘s potential, among other topics. Here’s what Dirk had to say about those comparing Porzingis and Doncic to him and Steve Nash: “I think they’re going to be great together. They both fit the new style of the NBA so well. Luka is bigger than Nashy, so he can make plays that Nashy could never make. And Zinger is even longer than me and more athletic and shoots it super easy from deep. He’s a good dude, hard worker — he wants to be great. We hope to see that combo in Dallas for a long, long time.”

LeBron, Giannis Draft 2019 All-Star Teams

February 7th, 2019 at 6:23pm CST by JD Shaw

LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo drafted their teams for the 2019 All-Star Game on Thursday, officially finalizing the rosters for this year’s contest. James and Antetokounmpo were chosen as captains because they were the All-Star starter from each conference with the most fan votes.

Both James and Antetokounmpo first had to select from a pool of starters, then from a list of reserve players. The starters, which consisted of eight other players, were voted on by the fans, players and media this season. The reserve players were voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches.

James drafted Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as starters, choosing Durant as his first selection. His reserves were Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, LaMarcus Aldridge, Karl-Anthony Towns, Bradley Beal and Dwyane Wade.

Antetokounmpo drafted Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Paul George and Kemba Walker as his starters, selecting Curry with his first pick. He drafted Khris Middleton, Nikola Jokic, Ben Simmons, Blake Griffin, D’Angelo Russell, Nikola Vucevic, Kyle Lowry and Dirk Nowitzki as his reserves.

James later traded Westbrook to Team Giannis in exchange for Simmons, making an effort to repair the relationship of Westbrook and Embiid.

The 68th NBA All-Star Game is set to commence on February 17 at Spectrum Center, featuring 26 of the best basketball players in the world.

Nowitzki, Wade Added To All-Star Game

February 1st, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

A pair of NBA veterans will make one last All-Star appearance before retirement, as the league announced today that Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade will be “special team roster additions” for the February 17 game.

“Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade embody the best of the NBA: remarkable skill, drive and professionalism as well as a deep devotion to strengthening their communities and growing the game around the world,” said NBA commisioner Adam Silver. “As a global celebration of basketball, our All-Star Game is an ideal setting to salute these first-class NBA champions and Finals MVPs.”

Nowitzki and Wade won’t be part of the regular draft when LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo choose up sides on February 7. They will be selected in a third round that allows each team to add a 13th player. The remaining eight starters as chosen by the fans will be taken in the first round, with the reserves going in the second round.

This will be the 14th All-Star appearance for Nowitzki, who is in his 21st NBA season, all with the Mavericks. He is the seventh-leading scorer in league history with 31,275 points, has made 12 All-NBA teams and has won both an MVP and Finals MVP award. He hasn’t announced his retirement plans, but there is speculation that this will be his final season.

Wade, who is conducting his “Last Dance” tour around the league, will be headed to the game for the 13th time. He was named All-Star MVP in 2010 and put together a triple-double in 2012. He has won three NBA titles and an Olympic gold medal and was named MVP of the 2006 Finals.

Wade was an eight-time selection to the All-NBA team and made three appearances on the All-Defensive Team. He is the Heat’s career leader in points, assists, steals, field goals made, free throws made and games played.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Texas Notes: Nowitzki, Barea, Carter-Williams, Forbes

January 12th, 2019 at 7:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dirk Nowitzki will see limited minutes for the rest of the season and may not play at all in some games, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Nowitzki hasn’t made much of an impact in his 21st NBA season. He missed the first 26 games because of surgery on his left ankle and has played 10.3 minutes per night since his return, averaging 3.6 points and 1.8 rebounds.

Rick Carlisle, who has coached Nowitzki for the past 11 seasons, broke the news to the long-time Mavericks star during Friday’s shootaround.

“We talked about it and handled it like grown men,” Nowitzki said. “Just keeping open communication. No hurt feelings. Just play it by ear and see how the games are going, see how the flow is going.”

There’s more NBA news from the Lone Star State:

Mavericks guard J.J. Barea is considering his surgery options after suffering a season-ending injury last night, relays Dwain Price of Mavs.com. An MRI showed that Barea ruptured his right Achilles tendon after hitting a layup in the fourth quarter of a victory in Minnesota. The team plans further updates once surgery plans are finalized. With a prolonged recovery time, the injury will limit free agency options this summer for the 13-year veteran, who is making $3.71MM this season.
The Rockets traded Michael Carter-Williams to the Bulls for an inevitable trip to the waiver wire this week, and he had two backcourt partners who could sympathize, writes Hunter Atkins of The Houston Chronicle. Austin Rivers and Brandon Knight went through similar experiences, appearing headed for stardom as lottery picks, but eventually changing teams multiple times. “Your career, or where you end up, a lot of times we don’t dictate those things, right?” Knight said. “Things can change very quickly. We’ve all been on different teams, different situations, and we just happened to land here.”
Spurs guard Bryn Forbes took a long, unusual road to becoming an NBA starter, notes Dan Feldman of NBC Sports. He is one of six undrafted players currently occupying starting roles, as teams overlooked him in 2016 following his senior season at Michigan State. He also spent most of his first year in the G League before earning an opportunity, but nothing shook his confidence. “I think, one way or another,” he said, “I would have found a way.”

Dirk Nowitzki Set To Make Season Debut

December 13th, 2018 at 8:43am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki is poised to make his 2018/19 debut, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com, who reports that Nowitzki will suit up for Dallas’ game in Phoenix on Thursday night.

Nowitzki, who is spending a record-setting 21st season with the same NBA team, was hoping to be ready to go for the start of training camp after undergoing surgery on his ankle earlier this year. However, he suffered a setback in September and has missed nearly two months of the regular season.

In Nowitzki’s absence, the Mavericks got off to a slow start, losing seven of their first nine games, but they have bounced back in impressive fashion. Currently, Dallas holds the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference with a 15-11 record.

As the Mavs continue to push for a spot in the playoffs, Nowitzki will be looking to carve out a role off the bench, despite having started 1,440 of his 1,471 NBA regular season games to date. While the 40-year-old is prepared for his new role, he acknowledged that he’s not quite sure yet what it will look like.

“The boys are playing well,” Nowitzki said recently, per MacMahon. “Maxi [Kleber]‘s been playing and Dwight [Powell]‘s playing well off the bench. … I have no idea [about the fit in the rotation], but it’s not a bad thing to be deep at a position. It’s a long season. Stuff always happens. Injuries always happen. It’s good to have a deep team, like we’ve showed. Our bench has been great all year and has won a bunch of games for us.”

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Conley, White

December 9th, 2018 at 8:42pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

In what is a surprise to many, the Mavericks are the current kings of Texas, having jumped out to a strong 13-11 start. As Brad Townsend writes for SportsDay Dallas, the additions of Luka Doncic and DeAndre Jordan have helped boost the Mavericks from the lottery to the playoff picture.

Doncic has been sensational as a rookie, averaging 18.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while hitting several clutch shots down the stretch of games. Jordan has improved the Mavericks’ rebounding and has provided an interior presence that the team has lacked in recent years.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks’ bench has been very successful, as J.J. Barea and Dwight Powell have played well in their specified roles. With Rick Carlisle at the helm, the Mavericks appear to be a very competitive team this season that has a good chance of sneaking into the playoffs.

There’s more from the Southwest division:

Mike Conley is struggling with a dislocated finger, which hampered his play against the Lakers last week. As David Cobb reveals for Commercial Appeal, Conley had trouble holding the ball, which obviously isn’t a good thing for the Grizzlies‘ leading guard. Conley believes the swelling and discomfort will improve in the coming days.
Derrick White continues to work on regaining his confidence and comfort after coming back from injury earlier this season. Jabari Young of The Athletic details the support that White has received from the Spurs‘ coaching staff and some of his teammates as he looks to make his mark in the Spurs’ depleted backcourt.
A recent Southwest notes post detailed Dirk Nowitzki‘s upcoming return to action, how the addition of Joakim Noah impacts other bigs on the Grizzlies roster and much more.

Southwest Rumors: Nowitzki, Noah, Gordon, Anthony

December 7th, 2018 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki will not make his season debut Saturday against the Rockets but he is inching closer to his return, Dwain Price of the team’s website reports. Nowitzki, who underwent ankle surgery during the spring and suffered a setback in September, participated in practice on Friday. “He’s doing well. You see him down there. He’s playing 3-on-3 and getting better all the time,” said coach Rick Carlisle, who assured the media he won’t play this weekend.

In other news around the Southwest Division:

The addition of Joakim Noah has impacted several other Grizzlies players, as Chris Herrington of the Daily Memphian notes in his latest mailbag. JaMychal Green, who becomes an unrestricted free agent, might be shopped if the franchise decides it won’t try to re-sign him. It also clouds the future of Ivan Rabb, a second-round pick in 2017, within the organization. Rabb has thrived in the G League but isn’t skilled enough or physical enough at the NBA level, Herrington opines. Noah’s presence should also reduce Marc Gasol‘s workload, Herrington adds.
Rockets guard Eric Gordon admits this season has been a shock to the system for him and his teammates, as he told Kelly Iko of The Athletic. He also insinuated that coach Mike D’Antoni has made some mistakes with his personnel. “I’m just not having fun man,” Gordon said. “I’m just not. This (stinks). Even the times where I have good games. We’re just not using some guys the right way. Are we gonna make the right sacrifices? Do we have the right attitude? Last year was the best year I’ve ever had being a part of a team. We just never had a bad moment.”
Rockets GM Daryl Morey blames himself for the Carmelo Anthony signing. Morey made the remarks during a Tom Haberstroh podcast (hat tip to Sportando). “It really is mostly on me, honestly,” Morey said. “I saw the fit there and really didn’t go the way I thought it would. He can still really help a team.”

Western Notes: Korver, Nowitzki, Rockets, Rose

December 3rd, 2018 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Shooting guard Kyle Korver knew the Cavaliers’ front office might deal him early in the season and he listed the Jazz as one of his preferred destinations, Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News reports. Korver was traded for Alec Burks and two future second-round picks. “It feels like a good fit,” Korver told Woodyard. Korver is in his second stint with Utah, having played there from 2007-10. He has averaged 8.5 PPG in 19.5 MPG in his first two games since the deal.

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Dirk Nowitzki participated in a 3-on-3 scrimmage at the end of practice on Monday as he nears his return to action, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. The longtime Mavericks power forward has not played this season due to a left ankle injury. Dallas is hopeful he can make his season debut sometime this month. “He’s got to keep working on strength, playing simulation games with some of our guys,” coach Rick Carlisle told Sefko. “Sprinting, moving and all that. It’s never going to be the same as running out there with real NBA players. But you got to do what you can do.”
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni believes improved health will lead to better defense, as he told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The Rockets currently rank 26th in that department. “Nene and Chris (Paul) coming back, first of all, that’s two of the better defenders in the league, so that helps,” D’Antoni said. “That’s going to take minutes off Clint (Capela) and P.J. (Tucker). So they’ll be better defensively because they won’t be as tired. … We know we need to be in the top 10 to be a real contender.”
D’Antoni has high praise for the Timberwolves’ Derrick Rose, who has reinvented himself as a shooting guard, Feigen writes in a separate story. Rose is averaging 19.3 PPG despite starting just five of 21 games. “Accepting new roles is tough. Some guys can do it. Some guys just can’t do it,” D’Antoni said. “They can try to shoot threes all they want. When they can do it, for the team, obviously, it’s beneficial. The league has changed. If you want to be effective, you have to change sometimes.”

Injury Updates: Nowitzki, Markkanen, Leonard, Harkless

November 21st, 2018 at 7:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is targeting next month for his season debut, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Nowitzki provided an update today on his condition as he continues rehab work after having surgery on his left ankle in April. “Hopefully somewhere in December, I’ll be ready,” he said, although he hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice since the operation.

Nowitzki saw some action in a “staff game” today, playing against interns and younger members of the coaching staff. “I wasn’t the best player out there, so I have some work to do,” he said.

Nowitzki, who turned 40 over the summer, remained effective last season, playing 77 games and averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per night. He has indicated that this may be his final NBA season, although he hasn’t made a formal announcement.

There’s more injury-related news to pass along:

Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen continues to make progress in his return from a right elbow injury and could start practicing with contact next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). Coach Fred Hoiberg said Markkanen has made major improvements with his conditioning. He suffered a high-grade lateral elbow sprain during training camp.
Hoiberg added that Kris Dunn is ahead of Bobby Portis in recovering from knee injuries that they suffered within days of each other (Twitter link).
The Raptors are moving closer to using Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back games, coach Nick Nurse told Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link). Nurse added that the team’s strategy with Leonard over the first quarter of the season has been successful, and there have been no problems when he has been asked to play a lot of minutes. “He feels good,” Nurse added of Leonard, who was limited to nine games with the Spurs last season because of a quad injury.
The Raptors‘ C.J. Miles missed his fifth straight game tonight with a groin strain, but he should be back soon, Wolstat adds (Twitter link).
Maurice Harkless is returning to the Trail Blazers‘ lineup tonight after missing 13 games with a sore left knee, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.