Dirk Nowitzki finally breaks deafening Mavericks silence after Luka Doncic trade

When the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic on February 1, they weren't just turning a cold shoulder to Doncic; they were also blindsiding everyone who was close to him, whether those people were inside or outside the Mavericks organization or not. What hurt many long-time Mavericks fans more deeply than anything was seeing the shock and despair from franchise legend Dirk Nowitzki.

Reports even surfaced that Nowitzki was as distant as ever from the Mavericks following the trade, especially since Nico Harrison and company removed tons of people from Dallas' organization that worked both closely with Doncic and Nowitzki throughout their time in Dallas.

However, Nowitzki recently took to the DLLS Mavs podcast to shower the Mavericks with praise. When host Kevin Grey Jr. asked Nowitzki about his thoughts on the Mavericks next season, he responded with, "If they're healthy, they're one of the deepest teams in the league next season."

Nowitzki thinks Mavs will be one of the 'deepest' teams in the league

Nowitzki went on to elaborate that Dallas has great positional depth and thinks they could be especially dangerous once Kyrie Irving returns, so it's without a doubt that he doesn't think the Mavericks are nearly as bad as some individuals in the national media have been saying. While Nowitzki is no longer an advisor for the Mavericks and will be talking about them objectively, given his new role in Amazon Prime's NBA coverage, it's clear he still follows the Mavericks closely, given his analysis.

This proves Nowitzki will always hold the Mavericks close to his heart, regardless if ownership and management have changed drastically ever since he arrived to Dallas in 1998. Even though the Mavericks have done everything in their power to try and dissuade Nowitzki from still being a fan, considering they traded a fellow European superstar and dear friend in Doncic, Nowitzki went out of his way to join a Mavericks podcast during the driest period of NBA news, proving his loyalty will never fade away.

Nowitzki's legacy is etched in bronze outside the American Airlines Center forever, but fans may never see a superstar like him in Dallas again, as the Doncic trade proves just how insanely rare it is for a team to have a franchise centerpiece throughout the entire course of their career. The Mavericks should feel blessed that Nowitzki still clearly follows the organization closely, even if he isn't in an advisor role any longer.

Many fans have long wanted Nowitzki to join Dallas' front office or coaching staff at some point, but at this stage in his life, it's completely understandable not to want to take on such an extensive role, as he's given his all to the game of basketball. Maybe one day Nowitzki could reprise a role in Dallas' front office when Harrison is no longer in charge, but for now, Mavericks fans will be happy over the fact that he simply enjoys and still keeps track of the franchise.