No Big D in Big D?

No sooner had the Mavericks’ season come to an end than my phone rang, and without even looking at the caller ID, I started ranting and raving, knowing full well it could only be one person on the other end of the line: my Dad. In between sentences as I grabbed a breath, Dad took over where I had left off, discussing Dirk and how no one could lay the blame for losing this series at his gigantic feet. And then Dad’s tone of voice shifted, and I knew what was coming. Tears formed in my eyes before I could stop them as I told Dad, "Don't even say it."

"Just hear me out," he said. "I love Dirk as much as anyone, but.."

"No, no, no NO NO!" I cut in.

"...Dirk deserves a ring. Even if it means going somewhere other than Dallas," Dad finished.

He's right, you know, I thought to myself. But the thought of Dirk wearing some other uniform was nothing short of soul crushing.

"He DOES deserve it," I agreed, when I finally found my voice again. "But Dallas without Dirk? And Dirk without Dallas? I can't even imagine it -- I don't want to."

What would the Mavericks be without the player who sometimes seemingly singlehandedly revived the franchise that was on life support through much of the 1990s? I would surely hate to find out, no doubt. And who, as a player and a person, would Dirk Nowitzki be without not only the Mavericks but the fans and the people of Dallas? If Dirk left or was traded or somehow moved to another team, would I still be a Mavs fan, or as fanatical as I am, or would that be the final straw that caused me to switch my NBA allegiance to some other team? I really didn’t have the answers, and I didn’t want to find out the hard way.

Bummed again with the early playoff exit and the prospect of my hero, Dirk, not remaining with the team, I vented my frustrations on my Facebook page, with a status that said something like, “Dirk without Dallas or Dallas without Dirk? It breaks my heart to even consider it,” which prompted several of my friends to chime in and start a discussion of whether or not Dirk would stay and why.

First, there was the money issue. Should Dirk choose to stay, his money (roughly $21 million) would be guaranteed. Secondly, aside from Germany, Dallas is the only home Dirk has known and he has said on numerous occasions that he loves it here and may even consider remaining in the area after his basketball career is over. Also, Dirk has stated in many interviews that he would really love to end his career as a Maverick, having never played with any other NBA franchise, all things that bode well for him staying.

However, Dirk has also mentioned that regardless of whatever individual accolades he receives, his basketball career would not be complete without a championship title, and if he didn’t think he could win one here in Dallas, he would have to consider other options. But where could he go that could guarantee him a legitimate shot at the ring he so desperately desires and definitely deserves?

As I was listening to sports talk radio the next day, the host was also pondering Dirk’s future in Dallas. He even went so far as to suggest that Dirk should take a pay cut and restructure his contract in order to help the Mavericks land a big name (think LeBron or D-Wade) during this summer’s free agency free-for-all. I was immediately incensed at the notion that it was somehow Dirk’s responsibility to sacrifice to bring in someone else. What more do the media, the city of Dallas, or the fans, for that matter, want from Dirk? Hasn’t he done enough already? Even though the Mavericks still remain title-less, Dirk is definitely not the cause, but more the symptom of a larger problem. It’s not that I think Dirk would necessarily object to a restructured contract if he thought it would bring him, and his team, the title. I just don’t think it’s fair to ask him to do it. Even Dirk himself has said before many times, it’s not about the money to him. Dirk doesn’t play for the fame, nor the fortune (he’s already a multimillionaire) nor the celebrity status that goes along with being a professional athlete. He doesn’t even worry about personal achievements and accomplishments. The only things that matter to him are playing for the love of the game, and the ultimate goal of winning a championship.

That ultimate goal is the only reason I could even fathom Dirk not being a Maverick when basketball season rolls back around in this part of the country. But it’s a big reason, one large enough that someone later in his career (see also Karl Malone) might be willing to leave town for, even if it’s the only NBA home he’s ever known.

In a perfect world, 2010-2011 really would be the Dallas Mavericks’ year. They would not only advance past the first round of the playoffs, but they would eventually win the NBA championship and be crowned the best in the basketball world. People here would celebrate Dirk Nowitzki in ways they had never done before, and he would be forever adored and mentioned alongside other legendary Dallas sports superstars such as Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, and Mike Modano (which should already be the case, in my opinion). Dirk and Jason Kidd would both finish their careers here, championship in hand, and eventually both of their jerseys would hang from the rafters of the AAC.

Here’s hoping for perfection, at least in the basketball sense…