Search For Dirk Nowitzki's Successor Continues For Dallas Mavericks

Do the Dallas Mavericks plan to fare well in the coming season? Does the team still have the NBA playoffs in sight?

Apparently, these are questions in the mix these days after the Dallas Mavericks (mis)fortunes in the NBA Free Agent market.

Of course, this immediately points to that celebrated "change of heart" that DeAndre Jordan had when he went back on his verbal commitment to re-sign with his home team, the Los Angeles Clippers.

Meanwhile, Mark Cuban is admittedly upset at what had transpired as his team was left hanging and future plans going haywire. Now, all that Cuban and the Mavs can do is try and skim the list of available free agents, something that the Los Angeles Lakers are doing as well.

To date, the Mavericks have gone to their old ways of signing NBA vets to one year deals. The list includes Zaza Pachulia and Deron Williams – additions that doesn’t exactly cheer up the situation of the Mavericks.

So will the Mavs go through the motions of tanking the 2015-16 NBA season with hopes of getting a better chance at the 2016 NBA Rookie Draft and the much awaited Kevin Durant sweepstakes?

There is word that Dallas could be in the running for Durant despite strong belief that the former NBA MVP will likely stay in Oklahoma City. Other teams rumoured to be in the mix include the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and the Washington Wizards.

Apparently the Mavs confidence level is at an all-time low right now but Cuban and Mavs organization may want to consider as well that the coming season could be the last one for long-time Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki.

Nowitzki, who turned 37 last June 19, will be entering the second year of his three-year $25 million contract.

After the 2015-16 NBA season, Nowitzki will have a player option though at 38, it wouldn’t be surprising if the NBA All Star and seventh player in the NBA all-time scoring list may opt in. But of course a lot of that depends on his performance for the coming season.

Despite his age, Nowtizki did show that he can still be deadly when called upon last season. However, he also knows that as he reaches the twilight of his career, he should no longer be the first option.

Could that right be passed on to other players like Chandler Parsons or incoming recruit Wes Matthews? Probably but if that were the case, it may not immediately take place since both players are still in the recovery stages of respective injuries.

Assuming that the Mavericks do tank in the 2015-16 NBA season, such would leave Nowitzki with only one year left to exit in style. The Mavs have been eliminated in the first round of the NBA playoffs for two years now and heading into next season, critics believe that they may not make it at all.

Was DeAndre Jordan supposed to succeed Nowitzki? It is pretty hard to compare considering the offensive repertoire that Nowitzki has. However, Jordan’s field goal accuracy and rebounding prowess could compensate for that but as far as comparison is concerned, it may be hard to consider Jordan as Nowitzki’s successor.

The story could be of course different next year if they are able to lure in Durant. He is perhaps the closest (if not better) to a player like Nowitzki but as mentioned earlier, all that remains to be seen in the 2016 NBA Free Agency circus.

All is not lost of the Mavs for the coming season. They can make a go at it despite not being tagged as favourites. The least that the Mavs can do is try to compete, particularly for Nowitzki, the German superstar who has led them to so many battles including an NBA title back in 2011.