After a short delay to harsh out some details, the Dallas Mavericks came to terms with Dirk Nowitzki (number 3 on the Big Board) on a 4 year, $80 million contract. The deal also gives Dirk one of only three no-trade clauses in the league (the other belonging to Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce). Dirk was eligible to receive $96 million total but left the remaining portion on the table as a show of good will, hoping owner Mark Cuban would be able to use it to obtain some more talent. It was a classy move by one of the classiest guys in the league. Dallas is home to Dirk and it would be weird, if not downright wrong, to see him playing in Chicago, New York, or wherever else. To get one of the five or ten best players in the league (which Dirk undoubtedly is) for a hometown discount is a coup. Nowitzki is one of the best shooters in the league, almost unguardable, an outstanding team player, and one of the two or three best Closers in the league. I could go on and on about Dirk and his legacy here in Dallas, but I won't. Not today. Suffice it to say that in my mind just the fact that he left that much money on the table to help out the only team he's ever known displays his class and "team first" mentality. Absolutely perfect signing.
Grade: A+
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