NBA: Setback: Nowitzki misses season kick-off and drops out longer

Dirk Nowitzki has been working all summer towards the start of the season, but now it’s probably too early. According to Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, the 40-year-old will have to wait even longer for his rehabilitation.

“It’ll be several more weeks, I can tell you that,” Carlisle said on Friday. “But there is no precise date for his return. He’s better, but he can’t do everything on the court yet. We can give another update in ten days or so.”

Nowitzki had undergone ankle surgery in April and had recently shown himself optimistic that he would be fit for the start of the season. As recently as September, he had told SPOX that he was “fully on schedule” for the start of the season. In the week before the start of the training camp, however, he suffered a setback and therefore did not take part in the preseason.

Nowitzki enters his 21st season at the Mavericks. For the first time, he will primarily serve as a bank player. So far, however, he has not had the opportunity to get used to this role.