Rick Carlisle was asked in a Dallas radio interview this week if he'd ever consider a reunion with Ron Artest, and he wasn't able to hide his enthusiasm about the idea. Tim McMahon of the Dallas Morning News transcribed Carlisle's thoughts:

"Of course," said Carlisle, who coached Artest in Indiana. "This guy is one of the real difference-makers that we have in this league. He's had one all-star year; that's when he played for me. I've had a chance to reconnect with Ronnie a couple times over the last couple of years. I love him and I love his family, so yeah. This guy was one of the most physical, intimidating players that I've ever seen at the small forward position, so he'd be a player that any team would want to have."

Now that Carlisle has left his gig as an ESPN analyst and is once again gainfully employed by an NBA team, someone might want to remind him that he doesn't have to say exactly what's on his mind all of the time. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if Carlisle isn't guilty of tampering, he's certainly toeing the line.

According to a report by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Dallas Mavericks have their man. The paper is reporting that a verbal deal is in place with Rick Carlisle to become the new head coach of the Mavericks. It will be his third head coaching job in the NBA, this time succeeding Avery Johnson who was fired after another disappointing first round exit.

The deal outlined by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram by a source close to the situation is a four year contract that will pay Carlisle a little over $4 million per year, which, if you're keeping score at home, is more than Johnson made. Carlisle has long been considered the front runner for the deal, and today was the expected day of deliverance. He brings with him a 281-211 lifetime coaching record, and a .484 playoff career winning percentage.

Known for coaching a balanced offense-defense philosophy and a strict offensive structure, Carlisle's first priority will be to form some sort of cohesion from the semi-chaotic-chaotic mess the Mavericks devolved into at times after the acquisition of Jason Kidd. Figuring out what to do with Josh Howard after his comments regarding offseason drug use and late-year shooting slump might also be up there. Either way, Mark Cuban got the guy he wanted, the Mavericks have a new head coach, and it's Rick Carlisle.

Rick Carlisle isn't officially the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, but if you believe his agent, that's pretty much just a technicality. From the Jeff Caplan in Ft. Worth Star Telegram:

"A lot of this is about finding your fit," said agent Warren LeGarie, who is working in Greece. "With Donnie [Nelson] and Mark [Cuban], I think Rick has found a fit."

Nelson, the Mavs' president of basketball operations, reiterated Tuesday night that negotiations are moving forward and that he was optimistic Carlisle would soon be the ninth head coach in Mavs history.

The Dallas Morning News reports that LeGarie, who also represents Mike D'Antoni, has returned from Europe to continue negotiations. Both of these reports jive with the lastes from ESPN's Marc Stein, who cites sources calling a four-year contract a "done deal" and says Carlisle could be officially introduced Friday or Monday.

Carlisle has taken his team to the playoffs in five of his six years coaching, including getting past the first round (a problem for the Mavs in recent years) four times. As my colleague Tom Ziller pointed out, Carlisle isn't exactly known for his offensive acumen, but as I see it a defensive specialist may be able to make more of an impact in a conference that boasts five teams that averaged at least 105 points a game.

Just in case there was any question as to how Avery Johnson felt about the February trade which sent Devin Harris and draft picks to New Jersey for Jason Kidd, here are some quotes from the Le Petit General's closing statements to the Dallas media.

[Harris] was going to be an 18-and-8 player. I invested a significant amount of time with him and, again, he was injured and a lot of things were happening around the NBA, and like I said, if we can just hold on a little while, we've got the best record against the West. ... The team was changed and we never really got back on track. [...]

[The trade] was something that was tried and it didn't take us anywhere that was close, we were struggling to make the playoffs, so it didn't nearly bring us the rewards that we wanted.

Now that Dallas is done, it's obvious the trade was a bust. A huge, magnificent bust. Harris for Kidd straight up would have been considered a bust, since, you know, Kidd makes $20 million next year while Harris is locked up until 2012 at a salary that never gets larger than $9.3 million. And also because Kidd is 35 year old and Harris is 25. And also because Harris is arguably a better player today -- a 17.5 PER, 15 points and 6 assists in 32 minutes on the season -- than Kidd, with a 16.7 PER, 11 points and 10 assists in 36 minutes.

Throw in those draft picks (#21 this year, and a 2010 first round selection) and DeSagana Diop? No offense to Pat Riley, but this was a far worse deal than Phoenix's trade for Shaq. The Suns ruined their season. The Mavericks might have ruined their season and their future.

There's a report this morning -- backed up by an NBA TV talking head last night -- saying Rick Carlisle has been chosen as the next coach of the Dallas Mavericks. We'd accept this as fact if the source weren't Peter Vescey, who in the past week has retracted a column and errantly reported Derrick Coleman needs a heart transplant.

Vescey reports in the New York Post that Carlisle has interviewed with the Knicks on Wednesday, but has since wowed Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson down in Big D. Vescey parroted the same report on NBA TV's postgame festivities last night (via HoopsHype). ESPN.com's Marc Stein (the most plugged-in national reporter when it comes to Dallas) offers Carlisle only as a favorite in the job hunt, one of five candidates Cuban will consider. The Dallas Morning News, for its part, have nothing on the potential hire.

My only concern for the Mavs here: You need some creativity on offense, right? You need a coach who will, at the very least, turn the reins over to Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki and let the points fly, yes? Carlisle spent four seasons in Indiana; here are the Pacers' ranks in leaguewide offensive efficiency each of those seasons, chronologically: 9th, 18th, 21st, 30th. Yep, worst offense in the league in 2006-07. What did Jim O'Brien do with basically the same roster in 2007-08? 19th in the league.

Carlisle can coach defense, and he's not likely to grate on Kidd like Avery Johnson did. But this sure as heck doesn't seem like your typical magical elixir.

Gaaaah. 67 wins ... Dwyane Wade ... Golden State!! ... Dirk is "soft" ... Jason Kidd ... Avery Johnson ... Implosion. That's a very rough timeline -- storyline for the Dallas Mavericks over the past few years. The Mavericks got bounced for the second straight year in the first round, this time at the hands of the Hornets and the offseason questions are sure to be endless, while the offseason "answers" are sure to be aggressive and media-attention-grabbing. That's just how Mark Cuban rolls.

How They Got to the Dance: Dallas looked dead in the water immediately following the Kidd trade with New Jersey, which in and of itself was highly questioned in most basketball circles. They got hot in April though, winning five of their last eight, and held onto the seventh seed. It didn't hurt either that the Warriors decided to go 3-6 in April.

I guess with Mark Cuban anything is possible. It seems everyone is throwing about rumors that the Mavs might consider bringing in a college coach. There was the almost laughable Bob Knight rumor. Nearly as silly, is the idea that he might consider in Rick Pitino.

Should Mike D'Antoni and the Suns soon part company, his name will be added to Cuban's short list that ultimately may include Pitino. I've been told he'd consider leaving Louisville for a third NBA chance, but the team would have to be in relatively good roster shape.

I don't know; the thought of coaching Erick Damper (11M/$12M/$13M) for the next three seasons might be a turn-off. It's not as if he can be traded. I doubt Cuban could package Dampier with Microsoft and get a good deal.

Where to start in breaking this apart. First, this is from Peter Vecsey. Two, it's not a rumor that the Mavs want Pitino, it's that Pitino might want the job. Does that even amount to a rumor? Of course, Greg Doyel at Sportsline is also saying that Pitino might be interested.

That still only makes it one way interest. I don't see Cuban and Donnie Nelson going to Pitino. Especially since they won't have any interest in letting Pitino have much say in the roster.

Craig Ehlo is mint, but I think this theory he tossed out on Sporting News Radio -- documented by Larry Brown Sports -- is a little wacky.

I think Mark Cuban will actually go after Bobby Knight. You know he just lives in Lubbock, Texas, only 375 miles west of there. Cuban is an Indiana grad and I wouldn't put it past him to offer something to Bobby Knight if Bobby Knight would be willing.

"Only 375 miles west?" Short commute, really. As Larry asks, what exactly would Cuban offer? To relocate the francise to Lubbock? An ownership stake? A two-year supply of Big League Chew and single-malt? I mean, Jason Kidd couldn't swallow his medicine for three months under Avery Johnson's leadership. Knight might not make it out of training camp alive.

There's a subtle truth somewhere in this, though, I think. Cuban won't make a quiet hire. Some Tom Thibodeau character isn't getting this job. It will either be a massive big name (like Mike D'Antoni) or some obscure absurdity (like Charles Oakley).

While we're throwing out completely unsubstantiated guesses, though: What about David Blatt? That'd get Cuban the sufficient amount of accolades.

Intrepid ESPN.com scribe/Dallas resident Marc Stein has the inevitable scoop: Avery Johnson has been canned by Mark Cuban today. Stein also reports (as he did early this morning) that Cuban considered firing Avery before the playoffs started, which sounds so insane it might actually be true.

Fear not, Johnson Family. Donnie Walsh (of the Knicks) and John Paxson (of the Bulls) would be suckers not to be on Avery's tail immediately. The Knickerbockers desperately need a firm hand to transition the franchise back from Hell; the Bulls have all the defensive talent to combine with The Little General in order to form the league's top defense for the next decade. Hell, the Sonics should fire P.J. Carlesimo, MJ should backtrack on the Larry Brown hire, and any of a half-dozen other squads should make room on the bench, if Johnson will have them.

Understand this: Avery Johnson is one of the league's best coaches, period. And he's 43 years old. You want the next Sloan, the next Popovich ... a guy who can lead your franchise for decades of wins? Then you try to hire Johnson. (Meanwhile, for Dallas ... does it matter who the Mavericks hire? No one is ever going to last more than a few seasons while Cuban owns the team. What top candidate -- like Mike D'Antoni or potentially Flip Saunders -- wants to work for Cuban?)

Day-after eulogies have a way of making squeaks and squawks of truth peak out from the shadows. It is the day after in Dallas, and hey! there's Jeff Kaplan of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via CSTB) reporting on why Avery Johnson canceled Monday's practice, leading to a team mutiny and bad mojo all around.

A late-night party to celebrate Josh Howard's 28th birthday after Sunday's Game 4 loss turned Dallas Mavericks coach Avery Johnson livid and led him to cancel Monday's practice, two sources confirmed.

Johnson, who stressed no partying during the series, was informed before Monday's scheduled practice that Howard handed out fliers to teammates in the locker room before Game 4, inviting them to his party at a Dallas nightclub. [...]

Upon learning of the party, the sources said, Johnson entered the locker room and asked the players who attended to stand up. Infuriated, Johnson lit into his team and then called off practice. He told the team they'd meet on the flight to New Orleans.

Kaplan reports only a few Mavericks attended Howard's bash, but it seems one was too many for Johnson. But do you blame him? Of course not. It should not this difficult to follow a 'no-parties' decree in the midst of a difficult playoffs series.

Howard shouldn't get killed for (the renewed interest in) his (old news) weed admission last week (the 'bad timing' was not his fault; he got asked a question and he is not a liar), but this incident leaves Maverick blood on his hands. Know your boundaries, man. (It will be worth watching how Mark Cuban responds to this; even if Avery's gone, might Josh also have gone too far?)