DALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki made his return to the Dallas Mavericks official Monday, signing his name to a contract that will keep him with the only NBA team he's known. Team officials released no terms of the deal. However, sources close to the talks told ESPN.com's Marc Stein that it is a four-year deal worth $80 million, with a no-trade clause. The nine-time All-Star agreed to the deal July 4 after a bit of a circuitous route delayed negotiations and left Mavs fans anxious as to whether Nowitzki was looking at other options on the free-agent market. Nowitzki, 32, opted out of the final year of his contract that would have paid him $21.5 million next year, but ultimately his loyalty to the only team he's played for won out. Nowitzki's deal will pay him $17.3 million next season with pay increases due in each of the next three seasons, topping out at 22.7 million in 2013-14, sources told Stein. The contract contains a no-trade clause that prevents the Mavs from dealing the 7-foot power forward without his consent. Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant is the only other player in the NBA with a no-trade clause.
