Dirk Nowitzki is not exactly having the greatest of seasons. The Dallas Mavericks star struggled at the start, but is slowly picking things back up. The power forward saw his 11-year All-Star streak snap this season and has even considered retirement. However, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes that Nowitzki can be an elite player for at least three more seasons.
When asked if he saw Nowitzki playing at an All-Star status for multiple years, Cuban responded, "At least."
"What we're seeing now with Dirk is what we can expect to see next year and the year after, if he stays healthy. And the year after that."
Nowitzki is averaging 18.3 points this season along with 8.8 rebounds. He is shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 50 percent from 3-point range. That is good numbers for a player reaching 35-years old and has played in the league for 15 years. However, Nowitzki is not quick to agree with Cuban's prediction.
"I'm not sure about all that. We'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully I can finish this season strong and have a good summer like I basically did last year with a lot of lifting and running and hopefully not have a setback with a surgery. We'll see how consistent I can be again next season," Nowitzki said.
Nowitzki was quoted few months ago saying that he was considering retiring after his contract is up at the end of next summer. He agreed to stick around till at least the 2015-16 season. He believes that maybe a transition into more of a role player will better suit him in future years.
Cuban does not agree that Nowitzki will soon just become a role player instead of a go-to player for the Mavericks. He compared his star to the likes of Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan as veteran forwards that are go-to players for their teams. He believes Nowitzki is in that status as well. Both Duncan and Garnett made return trips to the All-Star game after having their streaks snapped. Both players have struggled with knee injuries.
Next season will greatly determine if Nowitzki will continue to play at an elite status. He has struggled with numerous injuries in recent years that have seen his minutes per game decrease. Cuban believes that with advances in technology, Nowitzki can stay healthy and remain a top player.