Warriors Reportedly Want To Sign Dirk Nowitzki In Free Agency

After setting a historical league record with 73 regular-season wins, the Golden State Warriors’ season came to an end following their 93-89 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals on Sunday.

Warriors Want To Sign Dirk Nowitzki IN FREE AGENCY, Per Report

The team already seems to have Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant firmly in its sight this offseason. However, should Durant decide he wants to return to Oklahoma City, the Warriors now have a solid backup plan, according to Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group: Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki. 

In his latest column, Kawakami writes that Nowitzki is “somebody Warriors management has circled,” adding that the way the Warriors’ front office is thinking is that “Nowitzki…over Marries Speights or Festus Ezeli is an upgrade for the 2017 playoffs.”

He also stressed, however, that the Warriors “first and foremost still want to clear the decks for a run at unrestricted free agent Kevin Durant.”

“We will be very aggressive,” one Warriors executive reportedly told Kawakami late Sunday night. “Very, very aggressive.”

Nowitzki, 38, is an 18-year NBA veteran who has played his entire career for the Mavericks. The 7-foot German led Dallas to a national championship title in 2011, although his team has not passed the first round of the Western Conference Playoffs since then.

Nowitzki is believed to be declining his player option for the 2016-17 season, worth $8.6 million, to give Dallas more financial flexibility. This past season, he averaged 18.3 points while shooting 44.8 percent from the field, plus 6.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists. Nowitzki has repeatedly stated that he wants to finish his career with the Mavericks. He has also been selected to 13 All-Star Games, won the NBA MVP award after the 2006–07 season and was named Finals MVP in 2011.

Golden State is determined to boost their bench this summer, with players like Speights, Ezeli, Leandro Barbosa, Harrison Barnes, Brandon Rush, Anderson Varejao and Ian Clark set to become free agents.

Other players the team will consider include, according to Kawakami, Bismack Biyombo, Al Hereford, Joacim Noah, Chandler Parsons, Evan Turner, and Allen Crabbe. 

PHOTO: DALLAS, TX – APRIL 21:  Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks dribbles the ball against Serge Ibaka #9 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during game three of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center on April 21, 2016 in Dallas, Texas.  NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.  (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)