With Carmelo Anthony officially opting out of his contract with the New York Knicks, every team is hoping they stand a chance at signing him. Anthony will be wanting a max contract wherever he decides to play which eliminates a lot of franchises from contention. While the Dallas Mavericks would love to acquire the high-scoring guard, Dirk Nowitzki is admitting that it might not be possible to make happen.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Maverick's first priority will be to re-sign Nowitzki to a generous, but team-friendly contract. Then both Anthony and Pau Gasol will be free agent targets. Owner Mark Cuban intends to schedule meetings with both players while they are in town for a charity event. However, Nowitzki notes that he is not holding his breathe about the potential of adding Anthony considering the competition building for him.
"Somebody in his camp brought up the Mavericks first. It's not like we brought him up. If we're actually on his radar, then it's great. Then, we obviously have to look at it," Nowitzki said, via ESPN.com. "Like I've said, he's obviously one of the most explosive scorers that we have in this league. If a player like that has your team on the radar, [president of basketball operations] Donnie [Nelson] and [owner] Mark [Cuban] obviously have to look at it. Do I think it's realistic? No."
Nowitzki originally said that he would love for Anthony to come play for the Mavericks, noting that the team would become contenders immediately. However, cap space is an issue for the Mavericks. The team still needs to re-sign Nowitzki, something the veteran says will happen once July 1 comes around. He notes that he and Cuban are prepared to meet once the offseason begins and a contract will be completed immediately so there is still enough space to sign other players as well to help with roster holes.
If Anthony is not an option, then who is? Stein continues his report saying the Gasol is a top target for the Mavericks. The team has been linked to both Chris Bosh and a trade for Tyson Chandler, but Gasol is a realistic signing for the team. The All-Star is expected to take a pay cut from his $19.3 million salary considering he is about to turn 34 prior to the next season. The Mavericks reportedly would prefer to sign Washington's Marcin Gortat, but fear they are going to be priced out and will chase Gasol instead. The team also has no interest in taking on Chandler's contract, no matter what his history in Dallas is.
