Dirk Nowitzki Would Take a Pay Cut to Play With Better Teammates

Dirk Nowitzki knows that the summer of 2010 is going to be epic, and if he chooses to decline his player option for 2010-11, he'll have a chance to either command a huge extension or sign a monster deal with a new team.

Fortunately for the Mavs, he's motivated by more than simply growing his bank account and admitted in an interview with Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News that he'd be willing to sacrifice a few dollars if it meant adding more talent to the roster:

"I'm very fortunate that I've made a lot of money in this league, even though I've never really played for money. I love the sport. I love this organization. Obviously, I want to win. I won the MVP, and individually, there's nothing really left but winning a championship.

"If that means I have to play for less money, it's all possible. It's all open."

Do the Mavericks have a real chance at attracting a marquee free agent? It depends on how significant of a pay cut Nowitzki is willing to take. He's currently slated to earn $21.5 million in 2010-11, or nearly a third of the $64.6 million the team already has on the books.

Assuming the team decides to retain Josh Howard, who has an $11.8 million team option for 2010-11, and can't dump Erick Dampier, who will make $13 million in the last year of his contract that season, Nowitzki might have to leave $10 million or more on the table in order for the Mavs to sign anyone of consequence.

Maybe it happens ... or maybe Nowitzki realizes two summers from now that his best chance for a title is to sign elsewhere. (New Jersey should have some cash -- he'd look good sharing the court with that Devin Harris fellow, no?) Only time will tell. Just like LeBron's promise to consider signing an extension after this year, everything is just talk until it actually happens.