2014 Flashback: Dirk Nowitzki Turns Down Max Offers From Rockets, Lakers

Two summer’s ago, the Dallas Mavericks brought Dirk Nowitzki back on a three-year deal, but they had competition throughout the league.

Dallas had just came off a first round battle with the San Antonio Spurs where they took the eventual champions to a seven game series in the first round. Highlighted by a Vince Carter buzzer beater, Dallas once again lost a first round series.

Entering the summer of 2014, the Mavericks faced another dilemma in trying to put a more competitive team around Nowitzki in hopes of making a longer postseason run. Prior to free agency, Dallas struck a deal with New York to bring back Tyson Chandler.

So with Monta Ellis and Chandler locked in, and Nowitzki hitting free agency, Dallas wasn’t done yet with adding to the roster.

At the beginning of free agency, Cuban & Co signed Chandler Parsons to a three-year deal to steal him from Houston. Thus solidifying a starting unit to bring back Dirk Nowitzki into.

Dirk, making it known to Dallas all along he wants to stay as long as they don’t rebuild, was up for the new look team and even sacrificed more to make it happen.

On July 15, 2014, Nowitzki signed a three-year deal worth $25 million with a player option on the third year (the option he declined this summer to become a free agent). This locked in Nowitzki for an annual (blasphemous) salary for around $8 million dollars a year.

A complete steal for the Dallas Mavericks and a sacrifice needed to bring in Parsons.

So how much did Nowitzki sacrifice to come back to Dallas on such a cheap contract?

It’s hard to imagine Dallas not giving Nowitzki max if he wanted it, but it’s still worth noting that he turn his shoulder to two solid teams offering max money.

Houston had just got Dwight Howard the year before to pair with James Harden and Chandler Parsons. Adding Nowitzki could have propelled the Rockets to one of the elite teams in the Western Conference.

The Lakers might not have been championship worthy, but they did have Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, something that could be appealing to a player like Nowitzki.

So not only did Nowitzki turn down Kobe in Los Angeles and a shot at a title in Houston, he gave up multiple millions to come back to Dallas and stay with the only franchise he had ever known. This is just another testament to the person and player Nowitzki is.

Now, two years later, the Mavs were able to put a competitive team around Nowitzki, while still paying him roughly $20 million a year.

Next: Mavs Sign Quincy Acy

Players like Nowitzki come around every 20-30 years, and remembering stories like this only solidifies the legend he is.