Carlisle, Mavs Agree to 4-Year Deal

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Sources: Carlisle, Mavs reach agreement on 4-year deal
By Marc Stein
ESPN.com

Updated: May 9, 2008, 10:51 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks and Rick Carlisle reached a verbal agreement Friday night on a four-year coaching contract, ESPN.com has learned.

Although a news conference to introduce Carlisle as Avery Johnson's successor is now considered unlikely before Wednesday, according to sources close to the process, Carlisle and the Mavericks ended two days of slow-moving talks late Friday by coming to terms on a deal that is believed to worth at least $4 million annually.

Carlisle arrived in Dallas on Thursday with his family with the expectation of a Friday news conference. He was joined in Big D by the two former NBA head coaches -- Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts -- who will be assistants on Carlisle's first staff with the Mavericks.

It appeared the sides would go into the weekend with no deal when an accord was reached shortly before 11 p.m. ET.

Carlisle has a career record of 281-211 after two seasons in Detroit, then four in Indiana. He was coach of the year his first season with the Pistons, went to conference finals in consecutive years -- with different teams -- and made the playoffs every year until his last. He worked as an analyst for ESPN the last year.

In Dallas, he would take over a team that's won at least 50 games and made the playoffs the last eight years. The Mavs were in the finals in 2006 and won 67 games in '07, but lost in the first round of the playoffs then and again this year.

The roster he inherits includes Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, plus returning starters Josh Howard, Erick Dampier and Jason Terry.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3389463

[Pistons < Spurs]

The Dallas Mavericks and Rick Carlisle reached a verbal agreement Friday night on a four-year coaching contract, ESPN.com has learned.

Although a news conference to introduce Carlisle as Avery Johnson's successor is now considered unlikely before Wednesday, according to sources close to the process, Carlisle and the Mavericks ended two days of slow-moving talks late Friday by coming to terms on a deal that is believed to worth at least $4 million annually.

Carlisle arrived in Dallas on Thursday with his family with the expectation of a Friday news conference. He was joined in Big D by the two former NBA head coaches -- Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts -- who will be assistants on Carlisle's first staff with the Mavericks.

It appeared the sides would go into the weekend with no deal when an accord was reached shortly before 11 p.m. ET.

Carlisle has a career record of 281-211 after two seasons in Detroit, then four in Indiana. He was coach of the year his first season with the Pistons, went to conference finals in consecutive years -- with different teams -- and made the playoffs every year until his last. He worked as an analyst for ESPN the last year.

In Dallas, he would take over a team that's won at least 50 games and made the playoffs the last eight years. The Mavs were in the finals in 2006 and won 67 games in '07, but lost in the first round of the playoffs then and again this year.

The roster he inherits includes Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd, plus returning starters Josh Howard, Erick Dampier and Jason Terry.

[lurker]

Oh, awesome. Now we're stuck with Ivory Johnson for 4 years.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

He was joined in Big D by the two former NBA head coaches -- Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts -- who will be assistants on Carlisle's first staff with the Mavericks.

Not bad.

[Red Hawk #21]

Now all the Mavs need to do is get rid of the weed smoker, get rid of all the scrubs on the bench, help bass with his post game, get Kidd's future replacement, beg all the refs Cuban dissed so they can finally get some calls, get Dirk a legit second option and then get at least an average center and they will be set.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Not a good fit IMO. Rick likes to really slow things down.

[BillsCarnage]

Not a good fit IMO. Rick likes to really slow things down.

I'd disagree. He spent some time last summer (i think) w/ D'Antoni learning his system and how to run it - or let the players run it. If he picked up enough to kick start the Dallas offense I think he'll be a solid coach for them.

I was really hoping he'd hold out and see what the Suns had to offer when D'Ant goes, but oh well.

My $$ is on Tom Thibodeau as the next Suns coach.

[NBA Junkie]

How can this be considered an upgrade for the Mavs?

They just hired a coach that likes to play slowdown basketball that doesn't suit the style of their playmaking PG.

Did I mention that he can't win big playoff games when they matter?

Cuban's delusional. This might work out for 1-2 years tops without the le that Cuban desperately seeks.

[StylisticS]

He was joined in Big D by the two former NBA head coaches -- Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts -- who will be assistants on Carlisle's first staff with the Mavericks.

I like this part. Alot in fact.

[endrity]

How can this be considered an upgrade for the Mavs?

They just hired a coach that likes to play slowdown basketball that doesn't suit the style of their playmaking PG.

Did I mention that he can't win big playoff games when they matter?

Cuban's delusional. This might work out for 1-2 years tops without the le that Cuban desperately seeks.

The claim around Dallas is that he played that system before because of the players he had. Appearently the FO has got enough reassurance from him that he will play more to the strengths of the current team.

We'll see if it's true.