Dirk Nowitzki hints at retirement...down the road

[Andrew]

Dirk follows Shaq's lead, sort of announces retirement date

With three years left on his contract, Dirk Nowitzki is already considering hanging up his Nikes in 2011 after 14 seasons, at the age of 33.

Seems retirement (and talk of it) is in vogue at the moment.

[bowdown]

yea i feel sorry for him. just when it looked like their team was set to dominate atleast 5 years it all came crashing down after loss in Finals and GS taking a dump on their chest in 2007. well im sure the franchise is really desperate for good signs now

[Dan's Brain]

I can see him being moved to a contender before then. If not this year, then certainly next year.

[shadowgrin]

Retirement talk this early? Dirk is showing why he's weak and unable to lead his team.

[Andrew]

I don't know about that, Charles Barkley talked about retirement for at least six years before he finally called it a career.

[hova-]

Well actually he is just that he does not like to end up like Shaq. Pretty obvious. Your body wont get into a better shape as time comes and although Dirk is imho not heavily relying on athletic skills he does not want his game to suffer from his physicqal decline. Furthermore I think 14 years in the league are pretty long. (at least if youre playing on an All-Star level, no Kevin Willis here).

Dirk never backed down when it came to playing for Germany, was never injured for long .. I think he can really say he worked basketball (just like many other players) so he may retire in 3 years being still known as the All-Star player.

[NovU]

he was and is a player with complete package. he used to be weak and soft early in career but over the course, he improved a lot in all categories including in D and Toughness. now he doesn't lack anything as a franchise player. well maybe little in achievement.

i guess him saying retirement is cause he wants to end his career in high note.

[jonthefon]

Might depend on what the Mavs do down the road. The front office hasn't really made a plus move since the Jamison trade that brought Harris and Stackhouse to Dallas.

[Dan's Brain]

There was the move that sent Harris away again.

[Lamrock]

That was a negative move though, since they lost their 2010 pick (which will no doubt be a lottery pick) and destroyed their system.

Hopefully he gets traded to a good team before he retires.

[bowdown]

he should head to the east if he is planning on leaving and cleveland should look to get him if he does

[Andrew]

Well actually he is just that he does not like to end up like Shaq. Pretty obvious. Your body wont get into a better shape as time comes and although Dirk is imho not heavily relying on athletic skills he does not want his game to suffer from his physicqal decline. Furthermore I think 14 years in the league are pretty long. (at least if youre playing on an All-Star level, no Kevin Willis here).

Dirk never backed down when it came to playing for Germany, was never injured for long .. I think he can really say he worked basketball (just like many other players) so he may retire in 3 years being still known as the All-Star player.

Absolutely. The fact of the matter is that he will retire someday, there just seems to be a trend of players retiring relatively early (Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Pat Garrity, Jason Williams) or talking about retiring within a few years (Shaq, Dirk) this offseason. Obviously, Dirk has no obligation to follow through on this in three years time and can play as long as he feels he can and someone is willing to have him on their team, be it the Mavericks or someone else. It's just a little unusual for him to be talking about it when it's still three years away and he's still relatively young in pro basketball terms.

[jonthefon]

If the Mavs deal Dirk in the waning years of his career, I will shoot Mark Cuban personally. EDIT: Scratch that, maybe if it's Donnie Nelson who does so, he's the target. Dirk's a Mavericks' icon and he should stay that way, I didn't take the Finley release well (although it was a move that had to be made). No doubt they'll retire his number.

[ThaLiveKing]

Retirement talk this early? Dirk is showing why he's weak and unable to lead his team.

Absolutely!!! But You know, the MAvs window is closing, they only got like 2 more years with this current core anyways. No sense Dirk going anywhere else. . .he might as well retire a Maverick

[Andrew]

If the Mavs deal Dirk in the waning years of his career, I will shoot Mark Cuban personally. EDIT: Scratch that, maybe if it's Donnie Nelson who does so, he's the target. Dirk's a Mavericks' icon and he should stay that way, I didn't take the Finley release well (although it was a move that had to be made). No doubt they'll retire his number.

It needn't go down like that though. A situation like the one with KG and Minnesota last year would be free of bitterness and while it's tough to watch one of your favourite players in a new jersey (been there, done that), the situation isn't quite as ugly if the parting is amicable.