Dirk Nowitzki frustrated by Mavericks failures in NBA Free Agency

[The Devil's Advocate]

For the fourth consecutive summer, the Dallas Mavericks missed out on their primary free-agent targets, only to overpay for mid-tier options instead.

After losing out in the sweepstakes for Hassan Whiteside and Mike Conley, Dallas had to resort to giving Harrison Barnes a four-year, $94.4 million contract. It’s a deal that will likely come back to haunt the organization long term.

While he did re-sign with Dallas on a two-year, $40 million contract, star big man Dirk Nowitzki seems a bit upset about the direction of the organization.

“We, as an organization, really have to begin to question everything. Is it me people don’t want to play with? Is it Rick (Carlisle)? Is it Mark (Cuban) and some agents and players hold a grudge because he blew up the 2011 champions? Nobody truly knows. Over the last five years, we have been continuously in for the truly big names in free agency, but all we achieved in the end was that we got them more money and a better contract elsewhere,” Dirk told a German newspaper recently. “As for me personally, I don’t truly care how much I make these days, my main focus is on playing for a winner.”

Dirk has a right to be upset. He’s given up nearly $80 million to remain in Dallas over the past few years. That was rewarded with a first-round playoff exit last season.

In addition to Barnes, the Mavericks landed Seth Curry in free agency and traded for injury-plagued former Warriors center Andrew Bogut. This clearly isn’t going to be enough to compete with the big boys in the Western Conference. That’s likely why Dirk himself seems so frustrated.

His questions are clearly as solid as it gets. Why aren’t these stars taking the large sums of cash owner Mark Cuban is throwing their way? Is there a culture issue in Dallas? What’s changed between the team’s championship and now?

Until the Mavericks are able to answer those questions, they are going to continue being nothing more than a bottom-rung playoff contender out west. That’s the harsh reality of the situation.

Nowitzki expresses frustration with Mavs' free agency failures

nobody is trying to play for ANY of these teams


cuban is not one who wont put up the bread... he tries

but dirk and another star ain't gonna cut it... and stars know it, and superstars DEFINITELY know it... they stacking up and going to teams who are sure fire things on paper at least

 

[FaTaL]

has dirk actively been recruiting free agents?

that might actually help

 

[beenz]

they spent money just to spend it, Barnes and a eroding Bogut make like 25M combined

resigned Deron's old ass for too much

with the emergence of possibly Utah and Minny, i dont feel the team is relevant even in playoff discussion, let alone real contention. Portland is better and younger

is only like 31 or 32. He's really not that old to be honest.

 

[WOAHMYGOODNESS]

We haven't heard of Dirk being a bad teammate, and Carlisle has a pretty good rep as a coach, so....

Im hearing players dont want to play for carlise

 

[Surreal]

Past time for Cuban to sale the team and start over

 

[fact]

People need to start calling out that piece of sh1t Carlisle. Fukk him, nobody says "I really want to play in Carlisle's system.

 

[SoulController]

is only like 31 or 32. He's really not that old to be honest.

seems so much older, seemed to bounce back a little after some wack years but still not an impact PG at this stage

 

[Spade]

When your organization completely abandons the draft it's tough to sign FAs

And that's that and it is frustrating.

 

[x-factor7]

People need to start calling out that piece of sh1t Carlisle. Fukk him, nobody says "I really want to play in Carlisle's system.

With all the shytty coaches in the league, players avoid a dude with a good track record and ring? LOL

 

[Wacky D]

well boo-hoo.

dirk's had a priveledged career in terms of the talent hes played with thru nearly his entire stay in the NBA.

and right about now, dirk isn't even a starter for a contender. so of course no free agents are looking to come play with him.

Dirk is a legend man, first class and has done evertyhing for that team, btu they never really EVER got dirk anyone serious to play with since nash....dude won a ship with jason terry being secondbest player and 40 year old jason kidd........only superstar really to do that in this era

playing on a roster that's stacked 15 deep with guys who were recent starters on other teams >>>>>> playing with 1 or 2 other superstars with the rest of the roster being meh

they still had Michael finley when nash left. it was considered Finley's team when all of them 1st got together. not to mention the countless other stars & standouts that have been thru dallas.

dirk probably could have won a few more in the right circumstances
he was cooking for a long time

lol. he stayed on stacked teams.

if he was gonna win more, then he would've done it.

mark Cuban snuck one in, by putting together a rental team during what ended up being a change-over year. and that's wassup. but people get carried away with some of this stuff.

 

[Wacky D]

Maybe it has something to do with the leaders of the organization alternating between crossing the street to get away from nikkas and handcuffing them to make sure they don't get away.

***looks at Kenyon martin's mom***

Cuban: your son's a THUG.

***speedwalks off the court when he sees KMart heading in his direction***

 

[5010]

Didn't Dirk take that paycut AFTER cuban let key pieces from that championship team walk?

Hard for me to feel bad for somebody takes paycuts for an owner who does that.

 

[King Sun]

Dallas sucks. Its like a big ultra conservative city. Other than money and cheap land there's nothing to attract people to come here.

 

[Wacky D]

Didn't Dirk take that paycut AFTER cuban let key pieces from that championship team walk?

Hard for me to feel bad for somebody takes paycuts for an owner who does that.

they were a rental team breh.

theres no way Cuban was gonna be able to resign most of those guys.

 

[FaTaL]

And that's that and it is frustrating.

Didn't Cuban say something negative about the greek freak before that draft?