Report: Nowitzki intends to return in 2018-19
With nine games left in his 20th season with the Dallas Mavericks entering Tuesday night, forward Dirk Nowitzki reportedly doesn't expect to hang up his sneakers this offseason.
"As of now, I'm planning to come back," Nowitzki said in an interview with The New York Times that was published Tuesday. "I feel great. I've only missed one game all season. I signed a two-year contract (in July 2017) because I wanted to play two more years. And here we are."
The Times adds that Nowitzki won't make an official decision until he takes time off next month to assess his health and discuss with his wife, Jessica, and his longtime German shooting coach and adviser, Holger Geschwindner.
Nowitzki, who turns 40 on June 19, signed a two-year deal worth $10 million last offseason, with the second year being a player option.
He is averaging 12.2 points and 5.6 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game this season, all his lowest marks since his rookie campaign in 1998-99. However, his current shooting percentage (46.0) would be his highest in a season since 2013-14, and his 41.9 percent clip from 3-point range would his highest since 2009-10.
No NBA player has ever played more than 20 seasons with the same team. Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant hold the current record at 20.
A 13-time All-Star, Nowitzki entered Tuesday night's action ranked fifth all-time in games played (1,466), third in minutes (50,460), 11th in 3-pointers made (1,909) and sixth in points (31,139).
--Field Level Media
