Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki, whose career is winding down and his role continues to diminish:
His role on the court won’t change a bit. He’ll still be featured in the pick-and-pop and the spot-up shooting roles. And the one-legged fadeaway that he pioneered will come out of mothballs every so often. What is unknown is at what points Nowitzki will be on the court during the course of games. His 22 to 24 minutes of playing time could come at the start of each half, but that would mean either Wesley Matthews assumes the sixth man role or Luka Doncic isn’t starting. And if Doncic isn’t a starter, something has gone haywire. It might make sense to bring Nowitzki off the bench as the sixth man, pairing him with J.J. Barea and maybe another guard to be named. That grouping has always been very effective. But no matter what, season No. 21 will be a celebration of Nowitzki’s basketball life. It seems likely to be his last. Maybe.
