Dirk Nowitzki, undoubtedly the best basketball player in Dallas Maverick’s history, recently became a free agent. That means he’s up for grabs to the team that offers him the best contract. That generally means the team that can provide the player with the fattest paycheck. However, that’s not the case with Nowitzki. The man who earned All-Star status 9 times has decided that home is where the heart is, and Dallas has been his home from the beginning of his hoops career. Hence, he has worked out a four-year $80 million deal; about $16 million less than he could have earned if he held out. The superstar has consistently maintained that he would accept less money if he felt assured that the Mavs would be able to entice more talent to put around him on the court. After talking with team owner, Mark Cuban, it seems he’s been assured of that plan.
    Now it’s up to Cuban to find, and pay for, the type of talent that can help win a championship. Than won’t be easy since, according to Dirk, there are only two players who could be added to the Mavericks' roster that would put the team in the running; LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The only way the Mavs can acquire either of them is with a sign-and-trade deal. And both players are considering signing with teams that have salary-cap room and don't have to rely on a sign-and-trade to add their names to the roster. Still, some sports insiders feel confident that Cuban will come up with a plan to satisfy his best player and reach for the ultimate prize by the end of the next season. Whatever happens, Nowitzky’s loyalty to his team and his willingness to sacrifice a more lucrative contract in order to achieve excellence in his chosen profession is sublimely refreshing in an age where greed has often been the only motivation.