Mavs to introduce new coach Carlisle

May 14, 2008 - 3:09 PM DALLAS (Ticker) -- Rick Carlisle will be introduced as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

The conference, scheduled for 3 p.m. EDT, will be held less than four days after Carlisle signed a four-year contract with the Mavericks, who moved quickly to replace the fired Avery Johnson.

The Mavericks did not disclose financial terms of the contract. But multiple reports have stated that the deal is worth approximately $18 million.

The only candidate interviewed by the Mavs, Carlisle brings an impressive track record to the position, having led the Detroit Pistons (2003) and Indiana Pacers (2004) to the Eastern Conference finals.

Carlisle, who served this season as an analyst for ESPN, owns an overall record of 281-211 in six seasons with Detroit and Indiana. His next coaching stop will be Dallas, which fired the embattled Johnson on April 30.

The most successful coach in franchise history, Johnson guided the Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and coached them to the league's best record the following season.

But despite posting a 194-70 record in his three-plus seasons with the Mavs, Johnson ultimately will be defined as a major disappointment, as Dallas consistently underachieved in the postseason under his leadership.

Dallas squandered a 2-0 series lead to the Miami Heat in the 2006 Finals and was upset by the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round of last year's playoffs.

Despite acquiring All-Star point guard Jason Kidd at the trade deadline this season, Dallas struggled down the stretch and finished 51-31, claiming the seventh seed in the Western Conference.

The Mavericks were ousted from the postseason in five games by the New Orleans Hornets, prompting emotional team owner Mark Cuban to cut ties with Johnson.

To replace the defensive-minded and often abrasive Johnson, Cuban has turned to Carlisle, who preaches a balance between offense and defense.

"I am incredibly excited that Rick has come on board," Cuban said in a statement posted Saturday on the Mavericks' web site. "His coaching record speaks for itself. He has a unique ability to coach multiple styles of play, which we think makes him a great fit for the Mavs."

Carlisle, 48, has had a history of unceremonious clashes with team ownership - something which may have led to Johnson's firing in Dallas.

He was fired by the Pistons after the 2002-03 season when Larry Brown became available and again by the Pacers after the 2006-07 campaign - his only losing season as an NBA coach.

Carlisle was on the sideline for the Pacers during the ugly brawl against Detroit in November 2004 that carried over into the stands and led to Ron Artest's 72-game suspension.