Dirk Nowitzki says he plans to come back for one more year

Dallas Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki said Friday that he intends to play next season at age 39.

Speaking to ESPN's Marc Stein on the TrueHoop Conversations podcast about whether his return for the 2017-18 season can be considered a lock, Nowitzki said: "I think so ... unless something drastic changes here in the next few weeks or the last few weeks of the season, which I don't anticipate.

"I said last summer: I signed a two-year deal, [and] that obviously meant I want to play for two more," Nowitzki continued. "I want to complete that deal."