Cuban wants Nellie back next year

UNT96 · May 31, 2003

It would be a crime to not let him coach for two more years and try to win an NBA championship. Plus that would run out Bradley's contract and let the new coach start off without the Mavs Mantis.

Friday, May 30

Nelson vacationing in Maui, decisions coming later

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Associated Press

DALLAS -- Don Nelson wants to keep coaching the Dallas Mavericks. Team owner Mark Cuban says he can.

Yet Nelson said Friday he plans to spend the next two weeks in Maui before meeting with Cuban to discuss their next move.

"I need to step away for a little while and get my thoughts together and not be mentally and physically fatigued,'' Nelson said. "I don't want to drag this thing out, but that's the best way to handle it.

"I can't really make a decision and he shouldn't make decision now. We're both in an emotional kind of state. Let's just chill out and think about it.''

Nelson's contract to coach the team expired after this season, which ended Thursday night when Dallas was eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals.

He still has three years left as general manager, with five years as a consultant beyond that. It's all part of a unique 11-year deal Nelson signed three years ago, soon after Cuban bought the team.

Nelson had been planning to give up coaching before being reinvigorated by Cuban. He was so revved up this season that he wanted an extension months ago.

But Cuban wouldn't discuss it until the season ended. On Friday, he said in an e-mail that the job is Nelson's if he wants it.

"I've told Nellie during the season that I want him back and I told him again this morning,'' Cuban wrote. "He did a great job this year and has earned some R&R time. When he gets back from Hawaii, we will sit down and take care of things.''

Nelson and Cuban shook hands and chatted briefly at team headquarters around noon Friday. Cuban asked when they should get together and Nelson asked for some time off.

Nelson then met with reporters and made it clear to reporters that he'd like to return for a 26th season, and maybe even a 27th and 28th.

But he also said that first he and his wife must discuss what's best for them.

He said coaching another team isn't likely in their plans because at 63 he doesn't want to move and start over again.

"I'm very comfortable here,'' he said. "It's a comfort zone that I think is important to us.''

If Nelson returns only as the GM, he would help hire his replacement. While there might be fewer candidates to choose from by the time he returns from the beach, Nelson reiterated that he's in no hurry to make a decision.

"If there was a sense of urgency, Mark and I would be talking right now,'' he said.

Nelson came to Dallas as the GM and not the coach, and did it for a year with Golden State, too. He knows being only in that role would provide less pressure and more time for scouting -- and golf.

"I love coaching and I have loved coaching,'' he said. "But there comes a time, whether it's now or in three years or whenever, that I'm going to have to walk away from it. I can see my life going in many directions at this point -- and they're all good. There is no bad scenario here for me.''

Nelson is the third-winningest coach in league history, but has never won a championship or even made the finals. He said throughout the season how proud he was of this team, which won a franchise-record 60 games.

"We had a marvelous year,'' Nelson said, "probably the best I've ever had coaching.''