The Dallas Mavericks may be in for a rough 2017-18 season after not adding any impact players during the offseason. While newly-drafted point guard Dennis Smith Jr. represents the next era of Mavericks basketball, it will take at least a couple of years before the team is ready to compete with the top of the Western Conference.
Until Smith is ready to handle being the face of the franchise, Dirk Nowitzki will once again lead Dallas. The big man is heading into his 20th NBA season, but still remains a productive player whenever he is on the floor.
In an interview with Dalton Trigg of Mavs Moneyball, owner Mark Cuban revealed he did not know how good Nowitzki would be:
“I had no idea he was that good. My only indication that he was special in that first year was that he was the only guy Nellie didn't try to trade at some point.”
Nowitzki was drafted ninth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft and played sparingly during his first year. However, the German improved every season after, showing his sweet shooting stroke that nearly revolutionized the power forward position.
Nowitzki is a sure-fire Hall of Famer once his career comes to a close and fans should cherish what time he has left in the NBA. In a league that covets shooting at every position, the Mavericks and Cuban were fortunate enough to draft arguably the best shooting big man in history.
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