The NBA free agency will begin on July 1 with Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge being one of the top players targeted by teams and Dallas Mavericks star forward Dirk Nowitzki said his team would like to have the versatile big man in their roster.
Aldridge is from Dallas, Texas and returning to his home state is likely during this fee agency with the Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs being strong candidates to land the four-time All-Star besides the Trail Blazers.
"We'd love to have him. He's a great midrange shooter. He plays bigger than he is on the defensive end. He's a good rebounder on both ends of the floor and on that left block, he's a beast. So I mean, he's a really, really good player," Nowitzki told Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
The 37-year-old German forward also said he is willing to step aside if Aldridge joins the Mavs if it helps them reach farther in the playoffs.
"We want to go further in the playoffs. We've been ousted twice in the first round the last two years and whatever I got to do, I'm ready to help," Nowitzki said.
"I know that, at 37, I can't be the No. 1 option if we want to play for the championship. That's just normal. That's how the cycle goes," he added.
In a report by Oregonlive.com, Nowitzki told the media that he is also willing to come off the bench if that is what it takes for the Mavericks to finish better in the postseason.
"Yeah, I mean, whatever it takes; I've always said that. My last two years I want to enjoy. I want to be a good team. I want to be on a winning team," he stated.
Nowitzki also said, "Playoffs. Hopefully deep runs. So, yeah, anything I've got to do to help is obviously no question."
The Mavs finished last season with a 50-32 record good enough for seventh place in the West and were matched against the Houston Rockets in the first round losing the series 4-1.
