They'll be as tough as ever for the Mavericks this summer.

The blunt assessment of this season is that they maxed out. This team played hard, even if it didn't always play well. It went about as far as anybody expected, maybe further than some thought possible, especially given injuries to multiple key players.

So now what?

Interestingly, the words "blow it up'' have been heard less frequently of late because blowing it up means jettisoning Dirk Nowitzki. Anybody who watched the playoff run knows that is a foolish alternative.

However, Nowitzki has seen three seasons go by since the Mavericks' 2006 visit to the NBA Finals. That profound disappointment has been followed with three lost years. The Mavericks have made personnel decisions that have not put the right crew of support players around Nowitzki.

The Mavericks and the former NBA MVP know that the clock is ticking.

"Absolutely,'' Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday. "We have to do everything possible to make a championship happen now. Dirk's in his prime. He's playing better than he's ever played, statistically and everything else. And he only has one goal. And that goal is our goal. And that's a title. We have to work to get the team better.''

With that much set in stone, the Mavericks can address their major issues.

Internally, free-agent point guard Jason Kidd is the top priority, president of Basketball operations Donnie Nelson said.

DMN