While the Los Angeles Lakers are using Kobe Bryant to recruit free agents and the New York Knicks plan on using Carmelo Anthony to do the same, the Dallas Mavericks are hoping Dirk Nowitzki has the same type of star power. The Mavericks will once again enter the offseason ready to spend money as they have a few marquee free agents they are looking to target. Nowitzki told the media that he would love a few players to join as he enters what could be the final year of his career.
According to Nowitzki, LaMarcus Aldridge is a top priority for the Mavericks this offseason. Dallas is hoping to bank on the hometown factor for Aldridge while he could be the piece they need to get back to the championship game.
"I know that, at 37, I can't be the No. 1 option if we want to play for the championship. That's how the cycle goes. Really, if you look at our roster, we only got four or five guys, so we got a lot of work to do. We need a little bit of everything," Nowitzki said, via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. "We'd love to have [Aldridge]. "He's a great mid-range shooter. He plays bigger than he is on the defensive end. He's a good rebounder on both ends of the floor, and on that left block he's a beast. So I mean, he's a really, really good player. We've been ousted twice in the first round the last two years, and whatever I got to do, I'm ready to help."
Dallas will have competition for Aldridge. The San Antonio Spurs are hoping he can be the next star for the team while the Boston Celtics are preparing a contract offer as well. The Mavericks do have the more appealing roster than the other two teams. If Aldridge is not an option, the Dallas Morning News is reporting DeAndre Jordan or Marc Gasol are options. The team will offer either player a max contract in hopes of winning that race.
There is also the question of Rajon Rondo and whether or not he will be back. Rondo will test the market, but the Mavericks might be able to bring him back. According to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com, Rondo not find a max contract being offered to him in free agency. Dallas could try and win him over by offering a short-term contract with long-term pay outs as the point guard could capitalize off the increasing salary cap space the new NBA tv deals will bring. Patrick Beverley, Ty Lawson and Goran Dragic remain options.
