MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Last year's league MVP remains the franchise's foundation. Dirk Nowitzki led the team in scoring (23.6), rebounding (8.6) and heart. His playoff flop a year ago wasn't repeated during the season or the first round against New Orleans. If the rest of the team cared as much as Nowitzki, the Mavs would still be playing.

MOST DISAPPOINTING PLAYER
Josh Howard, hands down, takes home this (dis)honor with a selfish and confusing pattern of behavior late in the season. Not only did the one-time All-Star struggle to fit into the Jason Kidd-led offense, but his admission of marijuana use and decision to throw a birthday party after losing Game 4 puzzled/angered the coaching staff and several of his teammates.

FREE AGENT FOCUS
In need of a young and athletic swingman, the team has strong interest in unrestricted free agent Antoine Wright. Reserve G Jose Barea, a restricted free agent, is another favorite. The future is more unclear for free agents Devean George, Eddie Jones (player option), Juwan Howard, Malik Allen, Jamaal Magloire and Tyronn Lue.

PLAYER NOTES

--F Josh Howard is an offseason priority for Rick Carlisle. Howard's late-season swoon and his off-the-court issues, including his marijuana-use admission, cast his future in Dallas in serious doubt.

Carlisle has already reached out to Howard and the two men had a dinner to discuss moving forward. The Mavs can't reach their potential, Carlisle said, without Howard on board.

"He's one of those guys that because of his size, length, quickness, agility and skill that is really important to what you do offensively," Carlisle said. "I just also believe that he has to be one of our best defensive players.

I see Josh bringing some of the all-purpose aspects to our team that Shawn Marion brought to Phoenix. I just don't see any reason why he can't do that based on his physical attributes. We've got to point him in the right direction and it'll take a lot of sweat. It's going to take time, but that's what this is about. We're excited about working with him. I think he's going to be very motivated to get back to Western Conference All-Star level."

--F Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle hit it off right from the start. Their mutual "connection" to Larry Bird was a key. Carlisle played with, coached under and coached for the Hall of Famer. Nowitzki, a fan of Bird, has been compared to No. 33 for years.

"He's a very genuine and great guy and fun to talk to," Nowitzki said of Carlisle. "I love his knowledge. He's able to adjust to a lot of things. With the brawl happening, we had a long conversation about that (2005 fight between Indiana and Detroit), which was an absolute mess. He still found a way to win games and no one knew how. He still got it done."

--F Reyshawn Terry and G 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. Rick Carlisle doesn't know much about either, but the reports he's received are promising.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.