Report: Nowitzki says ‘it’s looking like’ he will return next season

Dirk Nowitzki is probably coming back next season.

In an interview with Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, the face of the Mavericks’ franchise said “I’m not going to say 100 percent I’ll be back -- but it’s looking like it.”

Nowitzki added that as long as there weren’t physical setbacks, he would like to play out the two-year, $10 million contract he signed this past summer. In doing so, he would finish what would be a 21-year career playing exclusively for the team that drafted him.

This season, he’s played in all 28 games, and has averaged 11 points, 5.5 rebounds and just over 25 minutes per contest.

The Mavericks, meanwhile, have had their share of struggles thus far. Heading into tonight’s road game against the defending NBA-champion Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks are tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the worst record in the Western Conference at 8-20.

Still, Nowitzki remains simultaneously realistic and hopeful about this group’s playoff chances going forward.

“I didn’t think we would be sitting here 10 (games) over .500. I mean, I wasn’t delusional. We felt like we might have a shot at sneaking into the playoffs. And we still do. We’ve played the toughest schedule in basketball to this point,” Nowitzki said.

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 6:40 PM with the headline "Report: Nowitzki says ‘it’s looking like’ he will return next season."