Mavericks News

"Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd greeted one another at midcourt, sharing a pregame handshake and half-hug. But that moment was about as close as the Mavericks teammates, and their respective Olympic teams, came to one another the rest of the night. United States 106, Germany 57. Nowitzki's first Olympics ended with a 1-4 record Monday in the Wukesong Basketball Gymnasium. Kidd and the 5-0 Americans next play Australia in Wednesday's quarterfinals. This game got out of hand so early that the biggest postgame buzz was about swimmer Michael Phelps' visit to the American locker room. But for Kidd and Nowitzki, this was the last time they'll share a court until training camp in October. "I ..."

"Comments | Recommended EmailPrintRSS Dallas Mavericks to open preseason at AAC 12:12 AM CDT on Friday, August 15, 2008 New Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle will see many familiar faces during the team's eight-game preseason schedule, which was announced Thursday. The Mavericks play three games against teams Carlisle used to coach - two against Indiana and one at Detroit. Carlisle, who took over for Avery Johnson in mid-May, will coach his first preseason game with the Mavericks on Oct. 7 against Washington at the American Airlines Center. The Mavs will then play four consecutive preseason games on the road before returning to the AAC."

"Perhaps it is a bit dramatic to call him the godfather of German basketball, but Detlef Schrempf was the first major German NBA star and a member of the 1992 team from Germany that finished seventh in the "Dream Team" Olympics. Not surprisingly, he's one of Dirk Nowitzki's biggest fans. The Nowitzki-led German team made the Olympics for the first time in 16 years. "Dirk has done amazing things for German basketball," Schrempf said. "To play every summer is extremely hard and tough on the body. I did it for a few years. You're away all summer, traveling, and it's tough. This is the last chance for Germany for a while because they're losing a lot of players and there are not a lot coming up. ..."

"The NBA released the 2008-09 regular-season schedule today, and the Dallas Mavericks have plenty of marquee games on the docket. Here are the highlights: Season opener Thursday, Oct. 30: Houston at Mavericks, 7 p.m., TNT Best home games Monday, Nov. 3: vs. Cleveland at Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11: vs. LA Lakers at Mavericks, 7: 30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4: vs. Phoenix at Mavericks, 7 p.m., TNT Tuesday, Dec. 9: vs. San Antonio at Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13: vs. Oklahoma City at Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14: vs. New Orleans, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28: vs. Golden State, 8 p.m., ESPN Thursday, Feb. 12: vs. Boston, 8:30 p.m., TNT Wednesday, March 25: vs. ..."

"The NBA today released its complete game schedule and broadcast schedules of ABC, TNT, ESPN and NBA on ESPN Radio for the 2008-09 season. The NBA's Countdown to Tip-Off 08 presented by Kia Motors has begun with opening night 83 days away. The 2008-09 season tips off on TNT, which marks Turner Sports’ 25th season of NBA game action, with a doubleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 28, that features the Boston Celtics opening up defense of their NBA championship by hosting 2007-08 NBA scoring champion LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8 p.m. ET. The second game features the first regular season game for the top overall selection in the 2007 NBA Draft presented by Sprite Greg Oden and the ..."

"Mavericks forward Josh Howard was arrested Thursday night in his hometown of Winston-Salem, N.C., after police said he was street racing. Howard is charged with reckless driving and with speed competition - the legal term for drag racing - after police said he was going 94 mph in a 55 mph zone. He was released from the Forsyth County jail on a written promise to appear in court Sept. 23. The Mavericks had no comment on the incident. A message left with Howard's agent was not returned. A police officer saw a black Lexus and a silver Volkswagen speeding along U.S. 421 in Winston-Salem late Thursday night. Howard was identified as the driver of the Lexus. Authorities did not identify the ..."

"Dallas Mavericks forward Josh Howard was arrested in his hometown after police said he was drag racing on a Winston-Salem street. He is charged with speeding (94 mph in a 55 mph zone), careless and reckless driving, and speed competition. He has been released from the Forsyth County jail on a written promise to appear in court Sept. 23. Police said an officer saw a black Lexus and a silver Volkswagen speeding along U.S. 421 late Thursday night. The officer stopped the Lexus, and Howard was identified as the driver. Authorities didn't identify the other driver. Howard played in high school in nearby Kernersville and was a standout at Wake Forest. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, ..."

"Warriors coach Don Nelson won an emphatic legal victory Thursday, when an arbitrator ruled that the Dallas Mavericks must pay Nelson nearly $6.3 million stemming from his tenure as their coach and general manager. Retired judge Glen M. Ashworth issued his ruling in the wake of an arbitration hearing in June. Ashworth granted Nelson's breach-of-contract claim against Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and denied Cuban's counter-claims that Nelson breached the agreement by accepting the Warriors' job and used proprietary information in guiding Golden State to its landmark playoff upset of the Mavs in 2007. "This was not so much a legal defeat for Cuban as it was an old-fashioned ass-whupping," said ..."

"Thursday was Mark Cuban's 50th birthday ... and a day of hearty celebration for Don Nelson. That's because Thursday was also the day that a Dallas-based arbitrator ruled that Nelson will indeed receive nearly $6.3 million in deferred payments from his time as coach of Cuban's Dallas Mavericks. Retired judge Glen M. Ashworth rejected Cuban's claims that his former coach should have to forfeit some or all of that amount because he breached his Mavericks contract in returning to the Golden State Warriors. Ashworth instead ruled heavily in favor of Nelson's breach-of-contract claim against the Mavericks' loquacious owner, dismissing Cuban's counter-claims that Nelson violated a non-compete ..."

"The Don Nelson-Mark Cuban feud, if not in a civil manner, finally came to a legal close Thursday. Retired Judge Glen M. Ashworth, arbitrator of the case during a June hearing, ruled in Nelson's favor. The decision will reap the former Dallas Mavericks' coach $6.3 million of the $6.5 million he sued Cuban for in late 2006. Nelson claimed he was due $6.5 million in deferred payments dating to the Ross Perot Jr. ownership group. Cuban contended that Nelson forfeited the money when he took the Golden State head coaching job in August 2006 because it violated a "non-compete" clause in Nelson's Mavs contract. Nelson was serving as a consultant at the time. "Nellie prevailed in every claim 100 ..."

"Before departing for China, where he will serve as an assistant coach for the Chinese national team in the Beijing Olympics, Dallas Mavericks president Donnie Nelson assessed his team%u2019s 7-4 performance in summer leagues in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. "It went pretty much as expected," Nelson said. "We were encouraged by some of the guys and they have a chance to compete for spots on our team. We%u2019ll see what happens." The Mavericks currently have 13 guaranteed contracts. Guard Keith McLeod is also under contract, but it is not guaranteed. Gerald Green, the 6-8 former slam dunk champion who was signed as a free agent, led the Mavericks with a 19.3 scoring average in summer league ..."

"Being a national hero is consuming, but Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki took time Sunday to answer questions e-mailed to him in his hometown of Wurzburg, Germany. [an error occurred while processing this directive] Today, he reunites with the German national team as it prepares for its first Olympic appearance since 1992. But on Sunday, he also discussed the state of the Dallas Mavericks and owner Mark Cuban's preference that NBA players not compete in the Olympics. Nowitzki said he has heard from a couple of members of the Mavericks organization, though not Cuban, since he and Germany earned the Olympic berth by beating Puerto Rico last Sunday in Athens, Greece. "I understand his ..."

"Kobe Bryant is playing in his first Olympics, never having worn a Team USA jersey before joining the team for the 2007 FIBA tournament. Teammate Jason Kidd has played so often for his country, red, white and blue is a regular part of his wardrobe. At 35, Kidd is the elder statesman on the latest version of Team USA and the most experienced in international play. His involvement with USA Basketball dates back to his college days when, as a freshman at Cal, he was selected to the elite team. "I think any time you can represent your country … (it) is a small token of giving back," he said. "This is what this country stands for and to have this opportunity, it's special. So I would never turn ..."

"The Golden State Warriors outscored the Dallas Mavericks by 16 points in the fourth quarter to take a 90-73 victory Tuesday in a summer league Rocky Mountain Revue game. The Warriors led only 63-62 entering the fourth quarter."

"As a native son, it is past time for me to welcome our neighbors to the north to the NBA. You are going to love it. One word of warning: Don't expect a winner anytime soon. Or ever. You think just because the Seattle Sonics went 29 years without a title means the Oklahoma Team With No Name or Colors is due? Guess again. The NBA title is the toughest in pro team sports. It's not baseball, in which 17 franchises have won the World Series in the last 25 years. And they didn't even play one in 1994. You think 29 years entitles you to something? In Dallas, Mavericks fans have waited, mostly patiently, for 28 years. The team sniffed a title once, but let it slip from its grasp."

"Dirk Nowitzki did not do any interviews immediately after propelling Germany to its first Olympic berth since 1992. He couldn’t. The Dallas Mavericks’ best player was in the locker room in Greece bawling Sunday, like a baby or newlywed or player who has finally delivered on a promise to his country, his coach and himself. He had been thinking of this moment long before he dreamed of MVPs and NBA championships. Anybody who even kind of knows The Big German is giddy for him, with the possible exception of Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who is certainly no fan of NBA players in the Olympics. And even he is happy for Dirk."

"The probability of swingman Devean George returning to the Mavericks next season appears to be decreasing every day. George, a free agent, has at least a half dozen other teams interested in signing him. The Mavericks, however, only have two open roster spots left with little money to work with after signing center DeSagana Diop."

"Jeremy Richardson led all scorers with 21 points, as the Hawks opened Summer League play with an 89-74 win over Dallas, Friday in Salt Lake City. Luke Jackson added 20 points off the bench for the Hawks, who face Utah at 10 p.m., Saturday."

"After the completion of the Las Vegas portion of the summer league schedule, Dallas Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson had this pronouncement: "We don’t have any stars out here," he said, "but we have some solid support guys with some upside.""

"Germany and Dirk Nowitzki defeated Brazil, 78-65, on Friday to earn a semifinal berth in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Athens, Greece. That means Dirk is one victory from achieving his lifelong dream of representing his country in the Olympics. Read more on"

"The Sacramento Kings have expressed interest in acquiring Dallas Mavericks forward/guard Josh Howard in a trade for All-Star forward Ron Artest, but the Mavericks aren't interested, according to an NBA source. The Mavericks reportedly were willing to offer forward Brandon Bass and guard Jerry Stackhouse for Artest. But the Kings wanted Howard included in the deal, halting the discussions. Because the Mavericks won't budge on Howard, a potential trade for Artest is all but dead, the source said."

"Aaron Miles scored eight of his team-high 14 points in the fourth quarter as the Mavericks held on to beat the Detroit Pistons, 79-73, in Las Vegas on Thursday."

"With every foul, turnover and errant jump shot, the Knicks' new regime kept reminding itself that Rome wasn't built in a day. And if you judged Danilo Gallinari's debut solely on Monday's first half he looked like a lost cause. It wasn't until late in the third quarter when the Italian forward nicknamed "Gallo" (rooster) found his form and began to display the skills worthy of a sixth overall draft pick."

"Forward Richard Jefferson was asked what it would be like to play with an NBA point guard other than Jason Kidd. Jefferson, speaking before Kidd was traded from the New Jersey Nets to the Dallas Mavericks, said, "I don't want to find out." The folks behind the U.S. senior men's national team that will compete at the Beijing Olympics between Aug.8-24 feel the same way. Kidd, undefeated with the United States at 44-0, knows how to bring guys together. The U.S. team needs great chemistry if it hopes to reclaim gold. Shaky chemistry contributed to a sixth-place finish at the 2002 world championships and third at the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2006 world championships."

"The Dallas Mavericks quickly filled their roster Friday by re-signing former Texas A"

"The 6-foot-9 forward, who has played the past two summers with the Mavs, removed himself from the team flight to Las Vegas on Thursday to allow time to weigh the risks of continuing to chase his NBA dream with lucrative overseas deals on the table."

"In many corners, the Mavericks have been buried. Their window of opportunity has been sealed. One of the criticisms has been that the addition of Diop makes them not much different than they were two years ago. And that’s true — with the notable exception of Jason Kidd for Devin Harris. But Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard and much of the primary supporting cast is the same, so how are they in better position to survive the rigors of the West?"

"While it makes for splashy headlines and video highlights, Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose showing up at a summer-league game isn't why NBA coaches and executives gather. Those players are expected to be big-time and won't start earning that designation until the regular season. But for Seibutis, the summer games are perfect. It's a time for the 22-year-old to show he has a future in the NBA and not just in Greece or Turkey or some other European outpost."

"Keith McLeod, by virtue of playing point guard (and having played for coach Rick Carlisle at Indiana helps), might have a leg up on the backcourt competition hoping to make the Dallas Mavericks? roster because there?s a need for a reliable, veteran behind Jason Kidd. The Mavs also want sharpshooters, and although McLeod has range, he isn?t known as a 3-point specialist. Draft pick Shan Foster, unsigned rookie JaJuan Smith and veteran journeyman Richie Frahm, among others, hope to provide enough fireworks starting Friday in the NBA Summer League to warrant sticking around."

"Disarmed of money to offer or much of a 2008 playoff pedigree, the Suns appear to still have recruiting wherewithal with free agency target Tyronn Lue saying that he believes he will sign with the Suns. "I think we're going to get it done in Phoenix," Lue said Wednesday. Signing Lue, 31, would fill Phoenix's free agency priority. Suns General Manager Steve Kerr has said he wanted a veteran point guard to back up Steve Nash and start for him about 12 times to rest Nash, 34."

"The latest development, and most refreshing, in the distressed career of Gerald Green is that the 22-year-old with all the talent in the world said he gazed into the mirror and gasped. "I feel like I just didn't take advantage of my opportunities," Green said after a Dallas Mavericks summer league team workout. "I blame myself; I don?t blame nobody else. I've changed, and now I'm a new guy ready to work and ready to get at it.""

"Keith McLeod, by virtue of playing point guard (and having played for coach Rick Carlisle at Indiana helps), might have a leg up on the backcourt competition hoping to make the Dallas Mavericks? roster because there?s a need for a reliable, veteran behind Jason Kidd. The Mavs also want sharpshooters, and although McLeod has range, he isn?t known as a 3-point specialist. Draft pick Shan Foster, unsigned rookie JaJuan Smith and veteran journeyman Richie Frahm, among others, hope to provide enough fireworks starting Friday in the NBA Summer League to warrant sticking around."

"With the salary cap and mid-level exception set, the Mavericks went about the business of finalizing the free-agent contracts of DeSagana Diop and J.J. Barea on Wednesday. The NBA released the mid-level late Tuesday night. The salary cap will be $58.68 million. Diop's contract will start at $5,585,000. With the maximum eight percent raises, The five-year deal will be worth $32.393 million."

"Sometimes when things come too fast, somebody pays the price. Gerald Green has paid. Still is paying, in fact. His sin? Nothing more than becoming an otherworldly athlete when he was a teenager. Green is one of the newest Mavericks after signing a one-year contract last week. He's jumped into the summer league camp that represents the start of a new chapter in the 22-year-old's already lengthy book of life."

"Joe Prunty will work at the Las Vegas Summer League and serve as the new assistant coach to head coach Nate McMillan. Like Blazer General Manager Kevin Pritchard, Prunty has experience with the San Antonio Spurs. He spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks. Before that, he worked nine seasons with the Spurs as assistant video coordinator, video coordinator, advance scout and most recently, assistant coach. During his time with the Spurs, the team won three NBA championships. ?We couldn?t be more thrilled to add a talented, hard-working and experienced individual like Joe to the organization,? McMillan says."

"Auditions are now open for the Rick Carlisle-era Dallas Mavericks, and James Singleton believes he has what it takes. Singleton, 26, opted out of his contract for next season with the Spanish team he played for last season to chase a second chance in the NBA. The 6-foot-8 forward, who played two seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers between stints in Europe, hasn?t signed a contract yet, but that could be coming."

"For the first time, Rick Carlisle was on the practice court with his team. Clearly, he didn't want it to end. The Mavericks' summer-league squad hit the gym and spent more than three hours in the first official workout that Carlisle and his coaching staff were allowed to run."

"The Dallas Mavericks' free-agent haul was subtle. Adding Gerald Green and reacquiring DeSagana Diop is nice, but it doesn't answer the tough question. Has yet another team passed the Mavericks, who were good enough only for the seventh playoff seed last season? The Los Angeles Clippers have blown off the cobwebs from their wallet and will sign Baron Davis to a five-year contract worth about $13 million per season. Assuming Elton Brand re-signs with them, the Clippers have two great reasons to feel they are a solid playoff team, although their roster remains thin."

"If this off-season has proved anything to the Mavericks, it's that there is never a shortage of players who can fill out a roster. On Monday, they had seven players under contract. Today, they have 11, with more on the way. The latest, apparently, is J.J. Barea. Word out of Puerto Rico is that he will sign a three-year contract Wednesday, when the moratorium on trades and signings is lifted. The deal is worth less than $5 million, according to reports out of Barea's homeland. NBA sources indicated the deal is not done but is close."

"The Mavericks have addressed a need and a want in the early stages of free agency. They needed a big man and they got him Wednesday, agreeing to terms with former Maverick DeSagana Diop on a multiyear deal that starts at the full mid-level exception, an NBA source said. Most NBA executives expect the exception to be around $5.5 million. They wanted a young, athletic and, yes, affordable player who might have unlimited upside. They got that in Gerald Green, a three-year veteran who has yet to fulfill his vast potential."

"On the first day of free agency, the Mavericks reached agreement with a player they hope will be the next Brandon Bass. They also said goodbye to one of their longest-tenured employees. According to an NBA source, the Mavericks struck a deal with Gerald Green, a slender, 6-8 guard who has been in the league three seasons. It is believed to be a one-year contract. Meanwhile, Del Harris, who served as assistant coach to Don Nelson and Avery Johnson over a nine-year stay with the organization, is expected to sign a contract today to be an assistant in Chicago for new Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro, a source said."

"Meanwhile, the Mavericks were set to spend the early hours of free agency, which opened at 11:01 p.m. Monday, seeking help at center, shooting guard and small forward. Names to listen for: Golden State's Matt Barnes, New Jersey's DeSagana Diop, New Orleans' Bonzi Wells, Boston's James Posey and Orlando's Maurice Evans. Barnes' agent, Aaron Goodwin, said Monday night that he was eager to initiate contact with the Mavericks. "I think Matt is a good fit for them, but he's a good fit for a lot of teams," Goodwin said. "They are definitely on our list.""

"Let me start by saying this is not a criticism of DeSagana Diop. He is a nice player, and the Mavericks are a better team with him than without him. But if the club uses its mid-level exception to bring Diop back into the fold, if this is the free-agent move Donnie Nelson says the club can't afford to miss on, what does it say about the team's upcoming season? It says the Mavericks are living in the past. It perpetuates the spin that deposed coach Avery Johnson was the reason for the team's ills and inflates the already high price the Mavericks paid to acquire Jason Kidd."

"The slender shooter was on the practice court at American Airlines Center working out with the Mavericks' player-development staff and fellow rookie hopeful Ronnie Seibutis. In his introduction to the Mavericks, Foster had more than just a cordial greeting. He went through a one-hour shooting drill and pretty much drained everything he threw at the basket. His high release should serve him well when he joins the summer-league squad next week in Las Vegas. And, by the way, he's confident, but in a quiet way."

"What's the going rate for a backup center who averaged 2.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.1 blocks a game last season? If you're DeSagana Diop, it could be a great year to be on the market. It's slim pickings for free-agent centers, and if all those Chris Paul-to-Tyson Chandler alley-oop dunks in the first round of the playoffs suggested anything, it's that the Mavs, after including Diop in the February trade to New Jersey for Jason Kidd, are in dire need of interior defense. Those factors could more than double Diop's $2.2 million salary and net him the Mavs' entire mid-level exception, expected to be valued between $5.5 million and $5.7 million. The Mavs will have competition for the ..."

"At 11:01 p.m. Monday, the NBA's free-agent period will open, and the Mavericks will start courting players who no longer have a job. As with every free-agent season, the first order of business is their own. The Mavericks expect to hear today that Eddie Jones is going to exercise his option and be a member of the 2008-09 team. The other choices would be to become a free agent or retire. But at $1.9 million, Jones is a relatively cheap insurance policy and a good outside shooter. He could also be a chip in future trade scenarios. The Mavericks, who are not allowed to talk about any free agents, including their own, until Monday night, also are believed to have interest in ..."

"You want to talk about Eric Ivory's parental heritage? Go ahead. Feel like calling his girlfriend ugly? Knock yourself out. If you want to rip on his vision or intelligence, then give it your best. After all, he's probably heard just about every insult you can come up with. So say what you will because it never affects Ivory. It can't. It's part of the skill set he needs to fulfill his dream of becoming an NBA referee. Admit it, you find his dream occupation just as strange as I do. It's hard to believe somebody would want a job where hundreds or thousands spend a couple of hours criticizing every decision you make. Frankly, it would drive me crazy because we all know the ..."

"The Dallas Mavericks received plenty of grief for not moving up in the NBA draft, but for those who have doubts that the cost was prohibitive, Mark Cuban has an explanation. "One of the teams drafting very high in the second round called and told us we could have their pick for $2 million and a second-rounder," Cuban said Saturday. "It was outrageous. A team offered us half-a-million for [pick] 51, and we turned it down. People were asking, 'Why aren't you buying up?' We turned down half-a-million because we really, really like Shan.""

"The Mavericks put the meat of their summer-league team together Friday and it's packed with shooters. One of them is Shan Foster, who they took with the 51st pick Thursday."