Thursday, May 15, 2008

More from Carlisle's Big Day

A few other notables from yesterday’s meet-and-greet with Rick Carlisle:

  • If everything works out, former head coaches Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts will join his staff. In rounding out his coaching team, Carlisle does plan to talk to Avery Johnson’s former assistants.
  • Carlisle and Josh Howard had dinner last night and you can bet plenty was discussed as the two men broke bread. Carlisle reiterated that the Mavs won’t reach their potential unless Howard gets back to All-Star caliber play.
  • The free-agent focus will be on “minimum-salary” players. Carlisle believes there are plenty of good bargains out there because the market isn’t what it once was. The team also hasn’t ruled out using the mid-level exception or obtaining a first-round pick in the draft.
  • Reyshawn Terry and Renaldas Seibutis, a pair of 2007 draftees who have been stashed overseas, will be given a hard look this summer as the Mavs attempt to get younger and more athletic. Carlisle doesn’t know much about either, but the reports he’s received are promising.
  • Don Kalkstein’s return as team psychologist was announced. Kalkstein, who currently works with the Boston Red Sox, served in that capacity with the Mavs for years before being phased out by Johnson. “It’s nice to have an outlet where guys can go talk,” Mark Cuban said.
  • Carlisle put a (half-joking) call in to Reggie Miller to come out of retirement. The TNT analyst won’t be in Mavs gear next year.
  • Though the Mavs are being written off in some circles as a team past its prime, Carlisle warned not to underestimate a “veteran team with a lot of pride.”
  • Though he’s committed to an up-tempo style with Jason Kidd running the show, Carlisle added: “The one thing that’s non-negotiable is we forget about the defensive end.”
  • Carlisle on Cuban: “This guy thinks like a coach. He wants all the best players and he tries to think of everything possible to make the team great.”
  • Carlisle called the next season’s training camp: “The most important of the Cuban Era.”

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