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2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million

The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.

The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.

The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.

For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.

Gerald Green to Mavs

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Gerald Green, a former high school prodigy out of Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, has agreed to a one-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks, Green’s agent Colin Bryant said. A first round pick of the Boston Celtics in 2005, the slender, 6-foot-8 Green was part of the trade that sent Kevin Garnett from Minnesota to Boston. The Timberwolves traded Green to Houston last season. He played in one game for his hometown team before being released. Bryant was on his way to Dallas on Wednesday morning to work out the specifics of the deal.

Del Harris to be Bulls assistant coach

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Longtime Mavs assistant coach Del Harris, who most recently served as a team consultant, is leaving the organization to join the staff of first-time head coach Vinny Del Negro with the Chicago Bulls.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Fantastic hire by the Bulls, adding an extremely well-known veteran coach to help guide Del Negro. Of course, one wonders if it should be the other way around, Harris getting the head coaching job while Del Negro learns the ropes under him and gets good experience before leading a team himself. That’s what I would probably have done. But then again, I don’t know Del Negro’s basketball mind. Maybe he’s brilliant.

Eddie Jones stays with Mavs

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports: Dallas Mavericks veteran guard/forward Eddie Jones exercised his player option Tuesday morning and will return for a 15th NBA season and second with the Mavericks, a team official confirmed. Jones, 36, is due $2 million next season. Signed last season as a free agent to bolster the team’s 3-point shooting and defense at the shooting-guard spot, Jones struggled through injuries, most notably a bad knee and ankle. He played in just 47 games and averaged 3.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

Mavs assistants to be finalized soon

Mavs Courtside View (Art Garcia) reports: Rick Carlisle is about to fulfill one goal … his coaching staff. Former head coaches Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts are in Dallas finalizing contract details and preparing for next week’s NBA Draft. Mario Elie, one of Avery Johnson’s former assistants, and player development coach Popeye Jones are also expected to remain on staff.

Jeff of InsideHoops.com says: That’s an absolutely fantastic set of assistants. One of the best staffs in the league that I can think of.

Mavs try-out Mensah-Bonsu and Frahm

The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports: Fringe NBA players are on tour these days, making the rounds to see where they might have a shot at full-time employment next season. Most of the names are anonymous, but one that made a swing by American Airlines Center on Monday was of particular note: Pops Mensah-Bonsu… The Mavericks also brought in Richie Frahm, a respected shooter who has bounced around the league for several seasons and played 10 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season.

Rick Carlisle going to Germany to chill with Dirk

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Jeff Caplan) reports: Mavericks coach Rick plans to travel to Germany next week and spend five days with Dirk Nowitzki, who is training with the German National team in its quest to qualify for the Olympics for the first time. Without a first-round pick in the June 26 draft, the Mavs will likely try to buy or trade their way in, although Carlisle said it can be difficult working out a deal with teams with only one first-round pick. New Jersey (from Dallas in the Jason Kidd trade), Seattle and Memphis each have two first-round selections. The Mavs have the 51st overall pick. Carlisle said he is getting closer to naming a staff. Former NBA head coaches Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts have standing offers. Carlisle gives a slight edge to the Boston Celtics to beat the Los Angeles Lakers for the NBA title. Carlisle was a member of the Celtics during the most recent NBA Finals meeting between the two franchises, in 1987.

Mavericks have big summer decisions

The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports: The Mavericks must decide if there is a reasonable market for players such as Josh Howard, Jason Terry and/or Jerry Stackhouse. Those are trade chips of varying value. But it’s about all the Mavericks have to dangle unless they want to make a serious change in philosophy and trade Dirk Nowitzki or admit the Jason Kidd trade was a mistake and deal him. Kidd enters the final year of his contract, worth $21 million. The Mavericks also will have Reyshawn Terry and Renaldas Seibutis, two former second-round picks, in summer league. Both are being given a decent chance of making next season’s roster. Meanwhile, some of the prominent names around the league who could be on the trading block are the LA Clippers’ Corey Maggette, Sacramento’s Ron Artest and Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace or Jason Richardson.

Did Avery Johnson deserve to be fired?

The Mavericks fired coach Avery Johnson today, just half a day after the team got eliminated in the first round by a better squad, the New Orleans Hornets.

The Dallas Morning News (Eddie Sefko) reports: Johnson, who took over the Mavericks’ coaching job with 18 games left in the 2004-05 season, had been the subject of strong speculation late in the regular season and during the first-round playoff loss to New Orleans. Three playoff disappointments, including the 4-1 loss to New Orleans that the Hornets finished off Tuesday, and a loss of control of the team by Johnson convinced Cuban to make the move. Several curious comments and actions preceded Johnson’s dismissal. He had a loud outburst with Cuban after a game in March, a confrontation that was audible to staff members throughout the Mavericks’ offices. Early in the playoffs, Johnson took full responsibility for his team’s missed free throws and other physical errors. Clearly, that was a thinly veiled criticism of the players. Then, on Monday, after Johnson canceled a practice, the players decided to practice on their own, which angered Johnson.

Apr. 29: Hornets 99, Mavs 94

The AP reports: Chris Paul had 24 points, 15 assists and 11 rebounds, and the Hornets held on for a 99-94 victory over the Dallas Mavericks to win their first-round series in five games… David West scored 25 points for New Orleans and Jannero Pargo had 17, while Tyson Chandler had 10 points and 14 rebounds… Dirk Nowitzki led Dallas with 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Devean George added 11 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas nearly pulled off an improbable comeback. The Mavs cut a 17-point deficit to three in the final seven minutes before Peja Stojakovic hit a pair of free throws to seal it with 5.7 seconds left. Tempers flared near the end, and Jerry Stackhouse was ejected for a second technical foul with 1:47 left after slapping the ball out of Paul’s hands during a stoppage in play, then getting in a face-to-face standoff with West. Dallas never led and was hurt badly by an 11-1 Hornets run after Nowitzki’s free throw had pulled the Mavs to 73-66 early in the fourth quarter. Dallas played solid defense on New Orleans’ next possession, keeping the ball on the perimeter, but Pargo hit a deflating 3 at the shot clock buzzer.

InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Hornets shot 48.7%, the Mavs 42.7%. The Hornets nailed a fantastic 8-of-14 three-pointers (four guys had two each), the Mavs just 9-of-26 (Nowitzki, Josh Howard and Stackhouse combined for 1-of-11 threes). Rebounding and assists were close. Both teams controlled the ball well. For the Hornets, Chris Paul had 24 points, 11 rebounds, 15 assists (no turnovers!) and 2 steals. David West had 15 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks. Jannero Pargo (7-of-9) had 17 points and 3 rebounds. Peja Stojakovic shot just 2-of-12 for 11 points and 6 rebounds. Tyson Chandler had 10 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. For the Mavericks, Nowitzki shot just 8-of-21 for 22 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. Six other Mavs scored between 11 and 14 points. Jason Terry had 13 points with 9 assists. Jason Kidd had 14 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists and no turnovers. Josh Howard had a modest 12 points with 9 rebounds and more turnovers than assists. Brandon Bass had 9 rebounds off the bench.