Although Dirk Nowitzki is getting the grand NBA farewell tour, the Dallas Mavericks legend has never gone on record announcing his retirement. In fact, he insists that he will not make that decision until the season is over, leaving the possibility of another season NBA season with Dirk.
After the Mavericks' 110-101 win over the Indiana Pacers, Nowitzki spoke about the chances of hitting the NBA hardwood next year. "I think I'm going to make that decision later on, but I think the future's bright," Nowitzki said to ESPN. "I think Luka and KP, if they stay healthy, stay together, they should be a great combo. They should play great off each other. ... They should jell well, but we have to see how it goes next year."
Nowitzki then went on to say that the decision to continue hooping lies solely in how he feels physically moving forward. "I'd love to be there for the young guys one more year, but I think it depends on how the body feels," Dirk explained. "I've had some issues, obviously, this year. I had some knee swelling here the last few weeks, actually before the All-Star break, so it's not all great. But like I said, I am feeling better. I am feeling a little stronger"
Dirk's recent numbers reflect his claims of "feeling better" and "stronger." In Wednesday's, game, Nowitzki racked up 11 points, five rebounds, and three assists in just 22-minutes on the floor. And, for the past three games, he has averaged 12.7 points and 4.0 rebounds as well as playing over 24-minutes a game. This is coming off him fighting an ankle injury for most of the first half of the season. But with Dirk saying he feels his body is inching towards being healthy, there's a chance he will return to properly hand the torch to Porzingis and Luka.
"I feel like I have a little more pep in my step," Nowitzki said. "My legs and my wind are a lot better than [earlier in the season]. I just feel better overall."
