May 11, 2008 The Mavericks have officially signed Rick Carlisle to a four-year deal to be the next head coach, the Dallas Morning News confirms.
Our View:Forgive us for yawning. Carlisle is more of a half-court coach than an up-and-down runner, which could be bad news for a guy like Josh Howard. Dirk Nowitzki's high fantasy value is safe.
May 6, 2008 Rick Carlisle's agent, Warren LeGarie, tells the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the Mavericks are close to a deal with his client. LeGarie says something could be done by the end of the week. Carlisle last coached in 2006-07 with the Pacers, and he owns a career 281-211 record.
Our View:The Carlisle pick feels less than inspiring, but the Mavs may be in a position where they try to make a quick turnaround before entering a rebuilding phase. Dirk Nowitzki turns 30 this summer, Jason Kidd is 35, Jason Terry is 30, Erick Dampier is 32, Jerry Stackhouse is 83... you get the point.
April 30, 2008 The Mavericks have fired coach Avery Johnson, according to the AP. They fired him one day after being eliminated from the Western Conference playoffs. Johnson led the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and coached them to the league’s best record the following season, and was the most successful Dallas coach in history. Owner Mark Cuban said, "It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery’s caliber. He is a talented coach, and I want to thank him for his efforts over the last four years and what he has done for this franchise. We wish him well in the future."
Our View:Johnson is a great coach and will be scooped by another team before next season.
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