It's Official...Avery fired.

[Kermit]

Merge if you want.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3375306

The Dallas Mavericks parted company with coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, a day following the team's first-round exit from the NBA playoffs, ESPN.com has learned.


[+] EnlargeLayne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images

Avery Johnson failed to get the Mavs out of the first round for the second straight season.

Speculation about Johnson's future with the franchise had been mounting for weeks, ever since Dallas struggled to reach the playoffs as the seventh seed following its midseason acquisition of point guard Jason Kidd from New Jersey.

Johnson became Mavs coach during the 2004-05 season and walks away with a 194-70 record (.735), but only a 23-24 mark in the playoffs and 3-12 in the postseason since Dallas' dismantling by Miami in the 2006 NBA Finals.

Host New Orleans wrapped up a 4-1 series rout of Dallas with Tuesday night's 99-94 victory.

"This is tough for me," Johnson said after the game, not specifically responding to a question about his job security but struggling to contain his disappointment after the Mavs' second straight flameout in the first round.

NBA front-office offices sources told ESPN.com that both the Mavs and Johnson, feeling that a coaching change was inevitable, wanted to come to a resolution quickly so Dallas could begin interviewing candidates and Johnson could pursue another job.

The New York Knicks and the Chicago Bulls have openings.

Sources close to the situation have said that Mavericks owner Mark Cuban actually considered firing Johnson before the playoffs, specifically after Cuban and Johnson engaged in an emotional argument after a March 18 home loss to the Lakers.

Cuban refused to speak with reporters after Tuesday's loss -- Dallas' ninth playoff defeat in a row on the road since taking a 2-0 lead in the 2006 Finals.

Marc Stein is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com.

And I'm an idiot for not looking at the NBA page first. Apologies.

[ashbeeigh]

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93690

[CP3_Bourbon_St.]

I hear the Suns need a coach.

[SpursWoman]

I hear the Suns need a coach.


heh.

[TampaDude]

Wow...that didn't take long...is AJ going fishing with D'Antoni???

[SPARKY]

Come home, AJ.

[Medvedenko]

Wow, I thought he'd be a good fit with the Bobcats...

[ChumpDumper]

Come home, AJ.You're in Houston?

[McMofo]

Come home, AJ.

Nooooooooo, but considering the relationship pop has with A.J. he'll probably end up here anyway.

[lurker]

"I would like to thank Avery for his valuable contributions to the Mavericks organization," President of Basketball Operations/General Manager Donnie Nelson said. "Over the past four years, he has been an integral part of our team's success. We wish AJ nothing but the very best in his future endeavors."

"It is never easy to relieve a coach of his duties, especially one of Avery's caliber," Owner Mark Cuban said. "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."


Avery being fired on the spot almost makes losing worth it.

[ducks]

Mavericks fire Avery Johnson after another playoff flop
By JAIME ARON, AP Sports Writer
20 minutes ago

Buzz Up PrintDALLAS (AP)—The Dallas Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson on Wednesday, the first of what’s likely to be many offseason moves after the league’s highest payroll produced a second straight first-round knockout from the playoffs.

Johnson leaves with an impressive resume after three-plus seasons, but Mavs owner Mark Cuban couldn’t tolerate a bottom line of being 3-12 in the playoffs since blowing a 2-0 lead in the 2006 NBA finals.

The Mavericks followed that disappointment by the embarrassment of being ousted by Golden State in the opening round last season in one of the biggest upsets in league history. They were just dumped in five games by Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets. Dallas didn’t win a single road game against the Heat, Warriors or Hornets, an 0-9 skid that was too much to overcome.

The final slate on Johnson’s tenure: 194-70 in the regular season, 23-24 in the playoffs.

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A championship-winning point guard for San Antonio during his long career, Johnson became Dallas’ coach-in-waiting when he joined Don Nelson’s staff before the 2004-05 season. He only had to wait a few months. Nellie stepped aside in March 2005 and “The Little General” took over.

The Mavs went 16-2 the rest of that season and won a playoff series. Then, in his first full season, Dallas went to the NBA finals for the first time and he was the league’s coach of the year.

After squandering their title shot, Johnson and the Mavs bounced back by winning 67 games, matching the fifth-most in league history—only to waste it with the opening-round playoff loss to, of all people, Nelson and the Warriors.

Critics said Johnson was outcoached by Miami’s Pat Riley in the finals, then by Nellie. Johnson gave critics ammunition with moves such as switching hotels during the finals to get away from distractions and by changing his starting lineup for Game 1 against Golden State even though his team was the overwhelming favorite.

More fodder came in the final months of this season, when he benched newly acquired Jason Kidd for the final 35 seconds of a game against rival San Antonio. A few weeks later, Johnson and Cuban had a shouting match in the coach’s office following a home loss to the Lakers.

Dallas was 16-13 after Kidd arrived—17-17 counting the playoffs. They were 35-18 before giving up young point guard Devin Harris and a package of players and picks for the veteran superstar.

Johnson’s rift with his club was apparent in the Hornets series. Down 2-0, he said to blame him, adding it was his fault they were missing layups, free throws and defensive assignments. The next day, Josh Howard went on local radio to talk about how much he and other NBA players enjoy marijuana. Then, after losing Game 4, Johnson canceled an off-day practice only to discover that players ended up putting themselves through a workout without him.

He may not be unemployed very long. The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are among the teams needing coaches and both might want a young, proven coach who preaches defense and discipline.

Who will Cuban hire next?

It’s hard to guess because he’s never really hired anyone, inheriting Nelson when he bought the team, then he and Nellie agreeing to groom Johnson.

Paul Westphal was on Johnson’s staff, and Del Harris remains on the payroll as a consultant. Jeff Van Gundy and Rick Carlisle are other experienced coaches who could be interested, if Cuban is.

Whoever takes over will get a roster of expensive, aging players.

Dirk Nowitzki is still in his prime, but he turns 30 this summer. Jason Kidd is 35 and likely will be back since his $21 million contract is at the player’s option. It’s the only year left on his contract and he knows he won’t get more than that on the open market.

For better or worse, the rest of the starting lineup is signed, too. That includes Howard, the only player under contract who is in his 20s. He turned 28 Monday—and his presence at a birthday party held Sunday night after the Game 4 loss to New Orleans reportedly prompted Johnson to cancel the off-day practice that ended up being rescheduled by players.

Also under contracts that make them tough to trade: Erick Dampier ($11.5 million), Jason Terry ($9.1 million) and Jerry Stackhouse ($7 million).

Eddie Jones, who will be 37 next season, is likely to exercise a $2 million player option.

Dallas also has a team option on Brandon Bass, who at this point is their most promising youngster.

The Mavericks don’t have a first-round pick, having traded it to New Jersey in the Kidd deal.

Dampier’s presence will be a reminder of the Johnson era. He played with Dampier in Golden State and urged Cuban to sign him, vowing he could get the most out of the big man known mostly as an underachiever. Dampier averaged 6.1 points and 7.5 rebounds over 24.4 minutes per game this season. He’s signed through 2011.

[1Parker1]

First time Cuban has fired a coach.....

[MajorMike]

I'd bet cash he goes to Oakland.

[PM5K]

He'd wind up here it there weren't other head coach opportunities, which I'm sure there are.

I'm not sure how I feel about this, his team did under achieve during the playoffs, but at the same time he's a young coach and he'll only get better.

[dbreiden83080]

Cuban is an asshole. He is so closely tied to that team any coach going there is going to have a hard time. There is nothing worse than an owner who thinks they know as much or more about the game as his own coach. That is Cuban. A lot like Steinbrenner was in his prime. He fired coaches left and right because he thought he knew all about baseball. Cuban is going to be a nightmare for any coach to work for.

[jn77]

I think AJ would make a good assistant coach here. That way when Pop retires we have a head coach that knows and belives in the Spurs System. Plus it would make it every time we beat the Mavs just a little sweeter.

[Obstructed_View]

If AJ isn't already in San Antonio I'll be surprised.

[Rummpd]

Avery is a better coach than D'Antoni and if he goes to Suns they instaneously improve.

[Agloco]

Just is simply the product of working for a complete tool like Cuban. He wants to call the shots, then if shit goes sour he pushes things off on others. There's probably nothing worse than working for a boss who thinks he knows more about the functional requirements of your job than you do. At that point it's time to ask your boss why the hell he hired you, tell him to fuck off, and depart for greener pastures.

This is a monster of Cuban's own creation. AJ is much better off elsewhere.

[MoSpur]

I wish him the best.

[spurscenter]

http://www.spurscenter.com/images/dirkFU.jpg

[JWest596]

Tim trumps Avery. I don't expect Avery in any capacity in SA anytime soon.
Avery's style gets a little old. He's a good coach but he needs more seasoning.

[Obstructed_View]

Just is simply the product of working for a complete tool like Cuban. He wants to call the shots, then if shit goes sour he pushes things off on others. There's probably nothing worse than working for a boss who thinks he knows more about the functional requirements of your job than you do. At that point it's time to ask your boss why the hell he hired you, tell him to fuck off, and depart for greener pastures.

This is a monster of Cuban's own creation. AJ is much better off elsewhere.

It's also got to be a nightmare to coach a team when the owner is always there for the players to complain to, and the fans and media parrot the company line without much debate. The bloated and unrealistic expectations of greatness from the stupid trade doomed him.

[mavsfan1000]

LOL at Spurs fans saying Avery is a good coach. He is a joke. You can have him.

[Armando]

So the Mavs are going back to what they were in the 90s? What coach out there that is available that is better then Johnson?

[Obstructed_View]

LOL at Spurs fans saying Avery is a good coach. He is a joke. You can have him.

Yeah, asking guys to play defense, give effort and not go out and have parties while they are getting assraped on national TV by the Hornets. What a joke.

[SPARKY]

LOL at Spurs fans saying Avery is a good coach. He is a joke. You can have him.

Thanks. You can keep your owner. Sorry that you got the raw end of that deal.

[SouthernFried]

Avery has made too many bad decisions in his quest for coaching duties.

The first decision he made, was to work for Cuban.

Pretty much says it all.

And no...I wouldn't want him here.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

AJ will end up in New York with his little buddy Malik, and then we'll never hear the end of it from the Avery lovers. They'll call it Spurs East even though both are vastly overrated.

[ludda]

Yeah, asking guys to play defense, give effort and not go out and have parties while they are getting assraped on national TV by the Hornets. What a joke.


That doesn't mean he's a good coach, it just means he has common sense.

Avery will do better elsewhere, it was obvious his team wasn't responding anymore.

[wijayas]

I hear the Suns need a coach.

What the SUns and the Mavs swapped coach, that will be awesome for both organizations...:lol

[Supreme_Being]

Why am I not surprised?

[peskypesky]

I'm glad for Avery actually. It's gotta be hell to work for an arrogant buffoon like Mark Cuban.

[Jdspur20]

Thanks. You can keep your owner. Sorry that you got the raw end of that deal.

amen to that.