Posted on Thu, Jul. 03, 2008

Diop’s return will shore up Mavs’ middle

DeSagana Diop, traded by the Dallas Mavericks to the New Jersey Nets in February, is returning to his former team and sporting quite a hefty pay raise.

The 7-foot center agreed to a five-year contract with the Mavs on Wednesday, and he is expected to sign July 9 for the entire mid-level exception, expected to be around $5.5 million or more for the first season.

The fifth year is a player-option. Diop, who said Wednesday by phone that he had three other offers, made about $2.2 million last season.

"My heart has always been here," Diop said. "This is where I wanted to be."

Diop headlined a shallow crop of free-agent centers, and he took advantage of the timing and the fact that the Mavs needed to shore up their interior defense.

Diop, 26, becomes the Mavs’ second free-agent pickup. The team agreed to a one-year deal with unproven, yet intriguing fourth-year guard/forward Gerald Green on Tuesday. Green, a former high school star at Gulf Shores Academy in Houston, was a former 18th pick by the Boston Celtics.

He was part of the trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. Green, 22, played 29 games for the Timberwolves before they shipped the slender 6-8 wing to the Houston Rockets. He played only one game for Houston before being released.

The Mavs will work to develop Green’s raw, explosive ability in hopes he can have a breakout season much like Brandon Bass last season.

Mavs officials are prohibited from commenting on any free agents until July 9, the first day free agents can officially sign contracts.

Diop said he spoke to new coach Rick Carlisle on the phone Monday and that the extended conversation solidified his already strong desire to come back.

Diop will reunite with center Erick Dampier, giving the Mavs the same center tandem they’ve employed most of the past three seasons. Chris Paul and Tyson Chandler of the Hornets exploited the Mavs’ thin interior defense in the first round of the playoffs.

Diop seemed to fall out of favor with former coach Avery Johnson early in the season and then was traded to the Nets. Diop, a jovial, hard-working player and highly regarded in the locker room, said he never took the trade personally.

In 52 games with the Mavs last season, Diop averaged 3.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 17.2 minutes a game.

"I feel like [Carlisle] is going to give me a fair chance," Diop said. "That’s all I want."

The Mavs continue to sound as if they want to re-sign Devean George and Antoine Wright as well as J.J. Barea. George’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, said George is drawing interest from other teams and that the Mavs remain in play.

Bartelstein said the Mavs have shown some interest in Dan Dickau to fill the backup point guard spot. Keith McCloud, on the Mavs’ summer league roster, will be auditioning for that position.

As far as signing other unrestricted free agents, the Mavs will be searching for more minimum-salary help since the club is already stretched beyond the salary cap.

Harris leaving

Del Harris, with the Mavs since 2000 as an assistant coach under Don Nelson and Avery Johnson, and a consultant last season, is leaving to join first-time head coach Vinny Del Negro with the Bulls.