Dirk Nowitzki is serious about playing in Europe next season if a work stoppage shuts down the NBA.

However, Nowitzki acknowledged that it isn't likely that he'll actually do so.

"Before I sit around for a year," Nowitzki said, "I would want to play somewhere."

NBA players will face significant legal hurdles to play abroad, even if owners impose a lockout starting July 1 as widely feared. It is assumed that players wanting to play overseas would have to go to court in order to gain clearance.

A source close to the situation said the NBA intends to exert as much pressure on FIBA as it can to prevent a flood of NBA players to Europe, since its bargaining position in labor talks would be severely weakened if players have the ability to earn money elsewhere.

"It's all a lot of speculation at this point," Nowitzki said. "I don't even know if it's going to be legally possible [to play elsewhere during a lockout]. I have a contract here. I didn't have a contract when I played over there during the last lockout."