NBA: Nowitzki: Update on foot and next season

The Dallas Mavericks are not in the playoffs, so Dirk Nowitzki has time to recover his recently operated ankle. He talked about it with Dallas Morning News on Sunday.

“The foot doesn’t feel great,” Nowitzki said. “That’s obviously the case after 20 years in the league. I have arthritis in every part of my body, which is normal after 20 years. But they’ve corrected the one area that’s been bothering me all season and I hope next season will be a lot better.”

Nowitzki was operated on his left ankle on April 5 when the Mavericks had long since left the playoff race. On Sunday he said that he could move at home again without an orthopedic shoe.

“It’s been over two weeks now and I’m already moving quite well at home without it,” Nowitzki said. “But when I go out, I still have to wear the shoe. On Monday I get my stitches pulled. It’s going well, but it will probably be a while before I can walk properly and start basketball activities. “This will be an unpleasant job all summer, but I hope that next year will help me.”

Nowitzki will be the first player to complete his 21st season for a franchise next year. The 39-year-old played 12 points and 5.7 rebounds on average this season.