LOS ANGELES — Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed on what could be the final NBA contract for the big German. A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press Thursday that Nowitzki would get a three-year contract worth roughly $30 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been announced. New contracts can't be signed until next Thursday. The 36-year-old Nowitzki is taking a big pay cut with a contract similar in value and structure to the one Tim Duncan signed with San Antonio two years ago. Duncan, who also took a much lower salary, is exercising a player option to return for the final season of his deal after helping the Spurs win their fifth title since 1999. Nowitzki just completed a four-year deal worth $80 million, and he left money on the table in that deal hoping the Mavericks could get some pieces around him. The pursuit of other stars is even more urgent with Nowitzki getting close to the end of what should be a Hall of Fame career. The 2011 NBA Finals MVP put off finalizing the deal until after the Mavericks met with free agent Carmelo Anthony, which happened Wednesday. If the Mavericks miss out on Anthony, there are a number of other small forwards on their wish list, topped by Houston's Chandler Parsons. He is a restricted free agent, and the Rockets can match any offer. Nowitzki has spent all 16 of his NBA seasons with the Mavericks, earning 12 All-Star appearances. He was the NBA Most Valuable Player of the 2006-07 season and led the Mavericks to their first NBA title in 2011, when he was named MVP of the finals, in which Dallas defeated the Miami Heat. Nowitzki recorded 21.7 points and 6.2 rebounds on average in 80 games last season before the Mavs were bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs. For his career, the German forward has averaged 22.5 points and 8.1 rebounds, shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 87.9 percent from the free throw line in more than 1,188 games. Spotlight on Anthony The courting of coveted NBA free agent Carmelo Anthony was in high gear Thursday, with superstar Kobe Bryant reportedly breaking a European vacation to help the Los Angeles Lakers woo him. Anthony, a seven-time NBA All-Star, opted out of the final season of his New York Knicks contract in June in order to test the free agent market. Anthony has already met with the Dallas Mavericks, Chicago Bulls and Houston Rockets in a whirlwind tour since free agent negotiations opened Tuesday. The Bulls rolled out the red carpet, and Anthony's arrival at their arena — where he strolled past the statue of Michael Jordan — was caught by a throng of local television cameras. Signs in the arena showed Anthony in a number seven Bulls jersey — a device the Rockets also used in Houston even though point guard Jeremy Lin already wears number seven and is under contract to the Rockets for one more season. But any club with hopes of landing Anthony must be aware that the Knicks will be keen to try to keep him. Anthony can make $129.1 million over five years with the Knicks. Any other team that tries to sign him can offer him a maximum of four years and $95.9 million. The New York Post reported that Knicks president Phil Jackson has scheduled a meeting with Anthony in Los Angeles — after Anthony has had a chance to hear the Lakers' pitch. ESPN.com reported that Bryant was flying in for the Lakers' meeting, although the Los Angeles Times said it was unclear if he would make it. The two are old friends and won Olympic gold playing together for the United States in 2008 and 2012. The team that lands Anthony will gain a prolific scorer. He averaged 27.4 points, a career-best 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists over 77 games in 2013-14, finishing second to league Most Valuable Player Kevin Durant in the scoring race. In three-plus seasons since arriving in New York, Anthony has averaged 26.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists, but the rebuilding Knicks missed the playoffs. The Los Angeles Times reported that the Lakers were trying to sell Anthony on the idea of playing alongside Bryant and Spain's Pau Gasol — who has also become a free agent but is thought to be ready to stay with the Lakers if they land Anthony. — Agencies
