7 ways the Mavericks are convincing free agents to sign with them

The increasingly vital way of doing business in the NBA is pitch meetings. A big-time free agent will head to some big city (wherever they live, really) and accept anywhere from three to eight teams trying to sell them on their culture and convince them to sign.

The Mavericks already knocked out two Tuesday night by having separate dinner with DeAndre Jordan and Wes Matthews, while a pitch meeting with LaMarcus Aldridge is planned for Wednesday. Dallas also plans to meet with Jordan again in an officially scheduled capacity on Wednesday, per ESPN Dallas.

★ Every Mavericks rumor all in one place. ★

But what exactly are the Mavericks saying in these meetings that can last several hours at times? We know Mark Cuban, Rick Carlisle, Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki and trainer Casey Smith are all in LA to make these pitches. Here's the gist of what they're pitching.

1. Dirk Nowitzki

Is Dirk an aging superstar? Absolutely, but he's still one of the game's best, and beyond that, he's made it clear time and time again that he's willing to sacrifice for the good of the organization. Not to mention, even with his lack of agility, he still managed to score over 17 points per game and pull down about six rebounds. He's got a bit left in the tank, and he'll undoubtedly be a part of the pitch to free agents.

2. No state income tax

This is a big deal, especially in the case of DeAndre Jordan. Earlier Tuesday it was reported that Jordan was looking into signing a four-year contract with a player option after the third season. If that is the case, it wipes out the biggest advantage the Clippers had: an extra year and more money.

Now the Mavericks actually have the advantage monetarily after taxes when you consider California's state income tax rate is 13.3 percent, the highest in the country. We're talking about a substantial chunk of change. If you want to switch sports to see how it affects athletes, here's a decent breakdown from Forbes on Josh Hamilton's tax-break now that he's a Texas Ranger again.

3. Culture of winning

"The Mavs have done quite a bit of winning over the past 15 years, including 12 seasons with 50 plus wins, an NBA Championship in 2011, and only one season since 2001 where we missed the playoffs altogether. Winning is in the DNA of the Mavs, and it will continue to be that way if you, [insert first name of big free agent here], come here to play."

-- Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson in unison, probably

4. Rick Carlisle

Carlisle is the mastermind behind it all; the man behind the green curtain if you will. He has managed, over the past few seasons, to take guys who have hardly played together at all and turn them into playoff squads. He did it during a season where Delonte West and Brendan Haywood started for the majority of the season, which means he can definitely do it with guys like Jordan, Aldridge and Matthews.

5. A key role in the franchise's future

If Jordan or Aldridge chose the Mavericks, they'd be on the fast track to becoming the face of the franchise. Dirk is still The Man until he retires and once that happens, they still might have to share a little time with Parsons if all goes according to plan. But there's little doubt both of those players Dallas is meeting with are franchise players for the foreseeable future.

6. Chandler Parsons

So maybe the thought of playing with Dirk doesn't have the sway it once did. But what about the thought of playing with an up-and-coming stud? Parsons is that guy, and he's ready to team up with big men who want to dunk all over opponents at the end of a pick-and-roll.

7. Mark Cuban

Cuban is arguably the greatest owner to play for in the NBA. Everyone knows he treats his guys like royalty, and the locker room and facilities the Mavs have are second to none. And who wouldn't want this guy cheering them on from the sideline?