“Truly, truly disgusting,” Dirk Nowitzki told reporters per ESPN on Wednesday.

“It’s very disappointing. It’s heartbreaking. I’m glad it’s all coming out. I was disgusted when I read the article, obviously, as everybody was. I was shocked about some of the stuff,” Nowitzki continued.”

Just when things for the 18-40 “tanking” Mavs couldn’t get any worse, they did. Taking in Nowitzki’s comments following the now well-known Sports Illustrated on the Mavs “corrosive workplace environment” is a soul-crushing blow to many long-time Mavs fanatics. It was jsut sad to watch.

Nowitzki is celebrating his 20th season in the NBA for the only team and city he has ever known. He’s the Mavericks’ all-time leader in points, rebounds, field goals, three-point field goals, free throws, stars, games, and minutes. He’s had 12 straight All-NBA Team selections. He’s led the Mavericks to 15 NBA Playoff appearances. He’s a 13-time NBA All-Star, the 2007 NBA’s Most Valuable Player, and the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history. Not to mention, he’s the 2011 Champion and NBA Finals MVP.

For many MFFLs, he is the Dallas Mavericks. And, for what Nowitzki has done for the franchise, both on and off the court, he is representative of what many believed the Dallas Mavericks were. He’s everything you’d want in a player – and more.

The gut-wrenching reports brought to light an important issue that should be handled swiftly and with great care.

Everything that has been reported in that article is absolutely and utterly disgusting. It’s heartbreaking. And for a team that prides itself on culture, it’s just downright disappointing.

While the long-term fallout on the basketball court remains to be seen, what happens on the court should truly be secondary to the everything that happened to the victims, and the Mavs should be in favor of whatever the NBA decides to do to ensure this never ever happens again – whether that means the loss of draft picks, additional fines, or something far greater.

This provides an important and public opportunity for the Mavs, Mark Cuban, and the rest of the city for that matter, to make right, going forward, what went wrong.

The Mavs cannot simply “shut up and dribble.”

It’s not about ticket sales, wins, or draft picks.

It’s about doing our best to find a way forward as an MFFL community as we push for change within the organization and culture of a team we love.

When the Mavericks take the court on Monday night against the Indiana Pacers, the team is expected to showcase a tribute to legendary founding franchise owner Don Carter who recently passed away, as a chapter in Mavs history closes.

The next chapter for the Mavericks has yet to be written. Yet Dirk, Cuban and the rest of the Mavs organization remain here.

They need the support of the MFFLs, because what is a Mavericks Fan For Life if they decide to bail out now?

It’s a period for redemption for Mavs Nation, and something that should be encouraged.

“It’s very sad and disappointing. But I think [Mavericks owner Mark Cuban] is trying to step up and lead this franchise to the right direction, and that is hiring investigators, finding out all the little details that we have to know as a franchise what really was going on,” Nowitzki said. “I think Mark is going to step up here.”