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No-trade clauses (a contract stipulation that prevents a player from being traded without their consent since they have to waive that clause after all) are a distinct staple on every Dirk Nowitzki contract since 2010. In fact, at the time, the Dallas Mavericks icon was only one of two players (the other being Kobe Bryant) to have it because it means you have enough clout to be considered “untouchable” — as much as general managers haphazardly throw that label around.
The 7-foot German's succeeding contracts continued to have that detail despite his surprising lack of an agent (preferring to negotiate with his longtime mentor Holger Geschwindner) and diminishing play, but for the first time in eight years, Nowitzki's newly-signed one-year $5 million deal to stay with the Mavs for the 2018-19 season is devoid of such clause.
Interesting quirk to Dirk’s new (and possibly last) deal with Dallas — there is no no-trade clause. Not that it matters for the Mavs, the only NBA team Nowitzki will ever play for. pic.twitter.com/T1W08qi7FI
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) July 24, 2018
That's not to say Nowitzki needs it, though. It doesn't make sense for the franchise to ever trade him given the cap-friendly nature of his contract — not only in the length and price but the flexibility it provides due to the former NBA MVP's willingness to fashion his contracts in such a way that free agents could easily be incorporated.
As for how long this relationship is going to last, the 40-year-old mentioned in an interview earlier in the year that he intends to play two more seasons although he's largely non-committal due to possible health issues that may arise. That said, he's guaranteed on setting an NBA record by spending what should be his 21st season with the same franchise — besting Kobe's 20.
