Dallas, TX

Dirk Nowitzki is willing to take a significant pay cut next summer to give the Dallas Mavericks enough salary-cap space to acquire a superstar from the free-agent market.

"I guess that's something we need to look at next summer when it gets to the point, but I'm sure it will be a significant pay cut," said Nowitzki.

"At this point of my career, it's all about competing and winning. It's not about money. Obviously, Cuban took care of me for a long, long time," he added.

Nowitzki said he would be flexible in his next negotiation with owner Mark Cuban if the Mavericks can meet with Chris Paul or Dwight Howard, who will be both in the free-agent market after this season.

Nowitzki gave the Mavs a hometown discount on his current contract, signing a four-year, $80 million deal instead of taking the maximum $96 million. The Mavs won the franchise's first NBA title the next season.

The 34-year-old Nowitzki is scheduled to earn $22.7 million in the final year of his contract next season, the second highest salary in the NBA behind Kobe Bryant.

Nowitzki missed the first two months after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery and averaged 17.3 points per game - his lowest since his rookie campaign in 1998-99 as the Mavs finished with a 41-41 mark.

Nowitzki plans to join Cuban, president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and coach Rick Carlisle on the Mavs' recruiting committee this summer with the hope of convincing Paul or Howard to join the team.

"We'd love to get one of the main guys," Nowitzki said. "It's going to be tough to get them out of the situation that they're in… We'll just have to wait and see."

 

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