The Houston Rockets have offered a max contract to Dirk Nowitzki, according to Adrian Wojnarowski (Yahoo! Sports).

Chandler Parsons will make $5 million more than Dirk Nowitzki, who coincidentally, has a standing offer for a max deal with the Rockets. — Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 9, 2014

There’s a bit of background to this story.

The Rockets are and have been interested in Dirk Nowitzki for quite some time. He’s killed the Rockets, and ironically he would be an excellent fit in Houston.

The Rockets and Mavericks were going head-to-head with a few other teams for the services of Dwight Howard last summer. When the Golden State Warriors made moves to clear up cap space, Daryl Morey thought they were going to lose out on Howard so he immediately called Mark Cuban and asked for Nowitzki.

At that point Cuban already heard Howard chose Houston, and he thought Morey was taunting him. They have since made up, but I can’t imagine Cuban was happy.

Now fast-forward to this summer when the Rockets were mentioned as a team very interested in Nowitzki. And now the Mavericks come back, have agreed to an extension with Nowitzki, and also have signed Parsons to an expensive offer sheet.

Well, apparently Morey plans to have the last laugh. He has offered Nowitzki a max deal. Nowitzki has verbally agreed, but has yet to sign his 3-year, $30 million extension with the Mavericks. However, the Rockets are willing to give him a lot more, and a better chance at winning another ring.

Whether Nowitzki is actually worth a max offer at this age is a different issue, but it’s not likely going to matter. Nowitzki isn’t likely to accept the offer, but it’s another interesting part to the Rockets/Mavericks rivalry.