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May 11--The Mavericks finally got their man.
Rick Carlisle reached an agreement in principle with the Mavericks on a four-year contract Friday night to become the ninth coach in franchise history, sources from both sides confirmed.
The two sides had been in negotiations for a week after Carlisle became the first person to interview with the Mavericks to replace Avery Johnson. Carlisle, who has six years of NBA coaching experience at Detroit and Indiana, was the only candidate interviewed.
It is believed Carlisle's salary will be similar to what Johnson was being paid before he was fired, roughly $4 million per season. Because of numerous commitments by all parties, the news conference on Carlisle's hiring probably won't come until Wednesday.
The Mavericks were looking for a coach who would preach a balance between offense and defense, and Carlisle was their No. 1 choice in that regard. He coached some of the league's best defensive teams when he was with the Pistons and Pacers.
But he also stresses a motion offense that will be markedly different than the offensive strategies of Johnson.
The Mavericks got a coach who is well respected for his ability to work with players and not let his emotions run afoul of the greater good.
Carlisle led different teams to the Eastern Conference finals, taking Detroit there in 2003 and Indiana in '04.
Carlisle spent this season working for ESPN as an analyst after his four-year stint with the Pacers. He amassed a 281-211 regular-season record in his six NBA seasons as coach and was 30-32 in the playoffs.
It is Carlisle's demeanor that endeared him to players during his two previous coaching stints.
His best coaching job came in the 2004-05 season. He had the unfortunate task of leading the Pacers after the ugly brawl against Detroit in November of that season. His team lost 400 player games to suspensions and injuries that season, yet reached the second round of the playoffs.
That season defined what kind of coach the Mavericks are getting, said one of Carlisle's former players.
"You can't read him," Darvin Ham once said of Carlisle. Ham, who played for the Mavericks, Pistons and numerous other NBA teams, grew to admire Carlisle's way of suppressing his emotions.
"He has one of the greatest poker faces in sports today," Ham said. "You can't tell whether they're up 20 or down 20. That's great, because no matter what level you play on, the team is a reflection of the coach. They never get rattled."
RICK CARLISLE Age: 49
Hometown: Ogdensburg, NY
Previous stints: Detroit (2001-03), Indiana (2003-07)
Career record: 281-211 (Detroit, 100-64; Indiana, 181-147)
Awards: NBA coach of the year (2001-02)
Notable: Reached Eastern Conference finals with the Pistons in 2002 and with the Pacers in 2003. ... Played five seasons in the NBA, with Boston, New York and New Jersey.
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