NBA

Nowitzki also said he planned to be a part of the team's pitches to potential free agents, particularly Chris Paul and Dwight Howard. It's not exactly a surprising statement from an aging veteran who saw this year that he needs elite-level help to win another title. The Mavs have plenty of cap space already, but an extra bit from Dirk next summer could help the team round out roster in the long term and sell Paul or Howard on a four- or five-year plan.

It doesn't sound as if Mayo will be a priority, and he shouldn't be. The team drafted Dion Waiters No. 4 overall in 2012 and has committed to developing him alongside Kyrie Irving. Cleveland would be better off delegating their cap space elsewhere.

Mayo opted out of his deal in Dallas and is likely looking to get paid on a multi-year deal, and Minnesota has a clear need for a real shooting guard. Wolfson is unsure how Mayo would fit into the equation given the team needs the necessary cap space and the club has a looming decision to make on restricted free agent Nikola Pekovic, but it's obvious Saunders is wasting no time leaving his stamp on the franchise and constructing his kind of roster.

Marion has one year and $9.31 million left on his deal. He won't get that much annually if he hits the open market, but he could possibly secure something around a three-year, $16 million deal. At age 35, he'd have to think long and hard about that. Marion averaged 12.1 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists as a defensive stopper for the Mavs this season.

Wright showed some serious improvement while with the Mavs for the last two seasons. A valuable reserve in 2012-13, he averaged 8.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in just 18.0 minutes per night. Still just 25 years old and measuring in a 6-foot-10, Wright is going to attract real interest on the open market. The Mavs won't be able to hold him at arm's length while pursuing Dwight Howard and other top-flight free agents.

That would be a good idea considering it's an obvious area of need. Along with O.J. Mayo, the Detroit News suggests names like Andre Iguodala, Tony Allen and Kevin Martin as potential fits for different reasons. However, the report cautions it's "more likely" the team will be active on the trade front, and that makes some sense considering the last time the Pistons were flush with cap space the team wound up with Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva on bloated five-year deals.

Brand made just over $2 million this season and is slated for unrestricted free agency. He was a solid depth option for the Mavs and had stretches of usefulness for fantasy purposes. We'd guess his return to Dallas likely depends on the Mavs' other free-agent options, like landing Dwight Howard.