Nowitzki ready to be recruiter, draft war room monitor in critical summer for rebuilding Mavs

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41), of Germany, looks awkward after a shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Hornets in Dallas, Wednesday, April 17, 2013. Dallas won 99-87. (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes) (The Associated Press)

Dallas Mavericks guard O.J. Mayo (32) walks past head coach Rick Carlise during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Hornets in Dallas on Wednesday April 17, 2013. Dallas won 99-87 (AP Photo/Mike Fuentes) (The Associated Press)

Dirk Nowitzki is ready to be a free-agent recruiter for the Dallas Mavericks. He's planning to hang around the draft war room, too.

Even before a 12-season playoff streak officially ended, the 7-foot German was saying his franchise faced a critically important summer in finding a co-star or two for a run at a second NBA championship.

Dallas dismantled key pieces of the 2011 title team, then had revamped rosters filled with one-year contracts in consecutive seasons. The first ended with a first-round playoff sweep, and the second didn't even make it that far.

The Mavericks got to .500 with a season-ending win over lowly New Orleans on Wednesday night, but Nowitzki and the rest made it clear that wasn't nearly good enough.