Avery Johnson enters his life as the former coach of the Dallas Mavericks proud of what he’s accomplished, secure that he handled himself with integrity and ready to move on to the next professional challenge. The man dubbed the “Little General” years ago didn’t hint at what that challenge might be, but expect to see him on the sidelines again.



Dressed in a brown pin-striped suit and yellow open-collared shirt, Johnson met with reporters today in the lobby of his uptown condo building. He talked about the peaks and valleys of the three-plus years of his first head-coaching gig after replacing Don Nelson, and the decision made by owner Mark Cuban and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson to take the franchise in another direction.



Opening statement:

First of all, I want to say thank you to all of our players that have played here for me in the last 3 ½ years, four including my assistant stint. All of our players that put on a Maverick uniform, they cooperated, they were coachable and we have a lot of great memories here with our players.



I want to thank Mark for taking a shot and a swing on me four years ago as an assistant, to think enough of me to bring me in immediately, he and Nellie, to make me an assistant head coach without any experience. I’ve enjoyed my time here working with Mark. We had a lot of great moments. And we had a lot of fun.



I want to thank every coach I had a chance to coach with and work with. All of them, the coaching staff from this year, previous coaching staffs, we had a lot of great memories. My assistant, Leslie Tracy, who’s been here with me and [director of basketball communications Sarah Melton], and I could go on and on down the list of a lot of tremendous people I had a chance to work with. That’s what this whole deal is about, relationships.



I also want to thank the fans for their support. We sold out a bunch of games. We had a lot of fun in the AAC. And contrary to some segments, we had a tremendous amount of success here. We can get up every morning and look ourselves in the mirror, every player that played, coach, and also myself. We can look ourselves in the mirror and really be proud of what we took over when we took over this team and the direction we went in. We can feel very proud of what we did, each and every day. Every decision that I had a chance to be a part of, I can really feel good about it.



But now, it’s time to move on. There are no hard feelings, there’s no bitterness. I’m a man of integrity and honesty and like I said, I can look at myself in the mirror with every decision I made and feel really proud of it. So again, I want to thank Mark, every player, every coach, everybody I had chance to work with, Donnie. I know it wasn’t an easy deal for Donnie to come visit with me yesterday, and Keith Grant, but it had to be done.



Why did it have to be done?

I think in terms of what I came from, a blueprint of what I knew how an organization should be ran from top to bottom. I knew what type of players should be drafted, free agent signings, how the coach should function. I had a really good blueprint with all my successful years down south. And we were able to come here and really make some headway. We were able to change the culture and attitude.



I had a chance to work under a phenomenal coach in coach Nelson. But as coach Nelson said, he felt he couldn’t take it any further. And a lot of the players we brought were players at that particular time that I recommended and he thought I should have an opportunity to take them forward. He had lost [Steve] Nash and he couldn’t get over that. So again, we had a chance to change the culture and take it. Now it’s time for somebody else to take it to the next level and somebody else to work with management and players, and that’s OK. It’s just time for somebody else.



At what point did you realize this might be a reality?

This is a results-driven business and we got the results that we wanted in terms of when we made it to the Finals. Now once you make it to the Finals, one of two teams are going to win, but this organization had never made it there before, so that was a pretty good result. Not the ending result of making it there, but that was a pretty good result. And by the way, that was a pretty good team.



That team and the team that we had the year before that made it to the semifinals when we lost to Phoenix in the second round, those two teams were really deep, special teams, so we got the result we wanted. The next year when we won 67 games, that team significantly, significantly overachieved. We paid the price for it in the playoffs and this year’s team, it was a miracle we made the playoffs. I just think it was time for somebody else to come in, Mark and Donnie felt the same way and that’s why we’re here today.



Do you think you had everything in place here to get it to where you needed to be?

No, not this year. This is a different team. Before we made the trade, we had the best record against the Western Conference and one of the things that I talked to Mark and Donnie about, I said: ‘Hey, I’ve got to get a point guard.’ That’s why I wanted to develop Devin Harris. I said I’ve got to get this boy to a point where he can be a scorer first and pass some. We got him to a point, like I told you guys before, we were knocking on the door with this young man making the All-Star team.



He 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. I think we were second or third in the Western Conference at that point and we were going to play the Western Conference quite a bit after the All-Star break. The team was changed and we never really got back on track.



Should you have traded Devin looking back?

Here’s the thing, that trade that was made, we don’t want to bring Devin’s name in it or Jason Kidd, I’m not going to give you guys something on Jason Kidd or Devin Harris or Mark or Donnie. The deal was made and at the end of the day, we’re here today. We’re not slamming anybody’s name through the mud. Whatever happened, I think my name is on record with the organization as what I wanted to do.



Were you reluctant to make the deal as it was unfolding?

I’m on record as what my feelings were and it’s over with now. It 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. But who’s to say that even if it did, if we had gotten to the second round or the third round that this particular move and my situation still wouldn’t have been made.”



You’ve been such a resilient person throughout your life and your career, why is it you feel so comfortable walking away?

I’m not necessarily cool about this, but what am I supposed to do? My life has to continue. I feel proud about what we’ve done here contrary to popular belief. We were a seventh seed this year that was anywhere from a seventh to a ninth seed, could have been a tenth seed with this particular team. We weren’t quick. We just didn’t have what it takes to compete against some of the teams in the Western Conference.



What it is, is what it is. I think last year’s team significantly overachieved. I really feel proud of what we did with that team. I didn’t like us losing in the first round to Golden State, but we accomplished the sixth-best record [in league history] and then what you’re going to have to do four years from now, like Nellie wanted me to take this program to another level, then four years from now you’ll sit around and the next guy that comes in, you’ll see what they’ve done compared to this tenure and the last tenure.



Nellie talked about the players tuning him out, did that happen to you?

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. When that happens, then sometimes you need a new voice. It’s not that I’m cool with it or I’m not resilient or I’m not disappointed. But this is a part of coaching. Because of that, I’ve said it all the time. Coaches, we’re going to resign or we’re going to get fired. Now, whatever words we try to use, that’s what happens.



When did it happen?

Well, just during the course of some games, I wasn’t getting that response. You know, the team that I took over during the time Nellie was out, had his surgery, over those 15-20 games, they really responded well to me. We responded well when we were down 0-2 to the Rockets. I was able to come in and really motivate and teach. Whatever strategies we tried, they really bought into them , even if they were bad strategies. Because I’ve had one in four years. You could see the punch.



And the team that went to the Finals, even though we didn’t have the great point guard or we didn’t have the great center, we made up for it and we camouflaged it and we worked through it. That team, they had a certain punch. The team that won 67 games, they laid it out on the line. We won about 15 close games that year. If those 15 games had gone a different way, we probably would’ve won 52 games. But this particular year, this team, especially, you know, in the last quarter of the season, last half of the season, just wasn’t responding the way I needed it to.



Did you get everything you wanted out of this team?

Oh yes and more. Yes.



Does the coach here have to be prepared to deal with the owner?

Yes and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’m proud of my working relationship with Mark. I’m proud of it. We’ve had moments behind the scenes where we’ve talked about management styles, vision and I’ve learned a whole heck of a lot from Mark. Again, this ... I don’t have anything but great things to say. There were 29 other owners in the NBA and nobody else gave me my first shot but him. Did we have some rough periods? Absolutely. Am I proud that we were able to get through those rough periods? Yes, I am.



What was it like to coach Dirk Nowitzki?

Just great. A 7-foot man who can do what he can do on the floor. He is the hardest-working player that I’ve ever coached or worked with, that I’ve seen. Put it like this: He’s the hardest-working player I’ve been around in 20 years. All right? I was always concerned about fatigue with him, especially in the latter part of the season. But he embraced me as being coach. I feel really great because during the time that I was here, he was able to win the MVP.



I’m proud of that. When I go to sleep at night, that’s one of the things I can feel really proud of. And when you win MVP, it’s not only for the individual _ it’s for the team, for the coaching staff, for the city. When I won Coach of the Year, that wasn’t my award. That award was for our coaching staff and our owner and the players and our fans. It’s not an individual award. So I feel great about my time and my working relationship with Dirk.”



How are you going to be a better coach?

I’m going to be a little more patient, just again I think I learned that the season is a long season and you can’t get 200 things done in the first day of training camp, and I learned that in my tenure here. You learn some different game strategies, again we’d have to take three hours to talk about everything. I feel I am going to be a better coach and because of that, fortunately there will be some great opportunities out there from me.



Is Dirk more of a Michael Jordan/Tim Duncan or Scottie Pippen/David Robinson?

More than anything he’s great at being Dirk. He is a player that’s very coachable, he’s a player that’s an MVP, perennial all-star. He leads in a different way than some of the guys that you mentioned, but I think at the end of the day he needs some help. Any great player needs help.



You look at what’s happening with the Lakers. Kobe, as great as Kobe is, they’ve gotten in the position they’re in now because Bynum got better, I know he got injured, now Gasol is there, post-Shaq. So again, I think any great player needs help. In Dirk’s situation, he needs some young guys or maybe another veteran player that’s still in the prime of their career that can really get out there and really give him the type of support he needs.



Is there a shelf life to a coach in this organization?

Well, no, first of all, we [Johnson and Nelson] are in a little bit different situations because hopefully in my situation with Mark a month from now or a year from now, I don’t want to have a public spat. There’s really no need for that now. If somebody else wants to go engage in something like that I don’t want to be a part of it so it’s a little bit different situation. I just think Mark has the opportunity now to really look at a lot of different candidates. They’re going to have to have a clear understanding on exactly how things work and function when they get here.



What kind of coach is right?

Mark’s going to have to make that decision. I think he’s going to have somebody in mind for what style of coach he wants. He’s going to have to make that decision. I think there’s a lot of work to be done. Mark and Donnie realize that and they have to take a long look at this roster and there’s some holes that are going to have to be filled.



Are you amazed you’re at this point after being in the Finals two years ago?

Well it was going to happen at some point, whether it was five years down the line or yesterday. I think if the facts, if you really get all the facts, if you look at what it takes. I’ll give you a little Basketball 101 on what it takes to win a championship. If you really look at what it takes to win a championship, look at all the champions.



They win championships because they have a superstar. We have one here in Dirk. You got to have really strong, strong play at the center position, and you got to have, in this day and age, a speedy quick point guard or a guard that will dribble drive and get that ball to the free throw line. And you have to have depth on the bench, experience on your coaching staff, and we feel that with what we had to work with, if you compare rosters, we have nothing to be ashamed of.



And that’s what I was trying to say all the years. If you look at what we had to work with. We went to the finals with Jason Terry and Jason Terry did a heck of a job for me. I don’t know if I’m still coaching a year later or two years later had Jason Terry not did what he did in the playoffs for us. We feel proud overall of what we did with what we had to work with. And that’s why now leaving, we’re not leaving with our heads low.



Have you been in contact with other teams looking for head coaches?

Yes.



So do you want to coach next season?

Not necessarily.



Do you feel Josh Howard’s recent behavior let you down?

I’m not here to talk about that. I think when the situation happened last week, I think I used the word, I think I used poor judgment and poor timing. That was a disappointing situation. It’s just one that I hope he can get himself together as he moves forward because I think he’s a terrific player. And his future, if he goes to that next level, on and off the floor, I think the future is bright for him.



Did the team lose respect for Josh?

I have never been in a locker room as a player with that type of situation. I can only imagine if I were. I don’t know if it was positive vibes, but that’s a situation I feel strongly about because I’m really close to Josh and I hope he really gets his game going to that next level and gets himself together because he’s a talented young man. But again this window closes on you pretty quickly as a player with the wrong move.



Was everyone buying into the same blueprint as the season progressed?

When you’re drafting players, when you’re signing free agents or making trades, whatever you’re doing, everybody I think has to be on the same page. The coach has to always have the support, even if you disagree, behind the scenes of management. I would say overall this with Donnie, Mark and myself, what we’ve done here, we can feel proud of it. And whatever differences, whatever you know this guy want this guy, this guy want to do this or do that, I think whatever what was done behind the scenes, we were able to work it out and that’s what it’s all about.



So if you voiced an objection, was it heard?

Absolutely. Without a shadow of a doubt. I wasn’t a coach without some sort of a voice. But you’ve got to understand. This was my first coaching stint. I haven’t had eight coaching jobs with eight different teams. I’m not in Popovich’s situation or Pat Riley, who both gave me two great phone calls. I’ve gotten calls actually from coaches that never spoke to me. It’s amazing what happens when you’re relieved of duties. Again, for someone who came in here at 39 and-a-half or 40 years old, and take over a ball club from a Hall of Fame coach and a city that’s one of the major cities in the entire world, it’s pretty good.



Did you hear from Nellie?

Absolutely.



What did he say?

You don’t want to know.

Posted by TrueBlue:

The interview was good but at the same time scary in thought. This is under the assumption we'd hire Avery. It appears Avery had a difficult time reaching Jason Kidd, a vet point guard who's obviously proven he's set in his ways. Byron Scott had to deal with Kidd it didn't fair well and neither did it for Avery. Well guess what we have a point guard on our team who's even more thick headed than Kidd. Avery won't be able to reach him either, especially with Marbury coming into the yr with an agenda with support from Walsh to play to increase his trade value. I see this developing into a huge problem for Avery. Then his comments on Harris. I like the fact he has the ability to help develop younger players, who of course are coachable but to say he wanted Devin to be a scorer first and pass a little is not good IMO. Let's say we draft Rose, LOL Avery's going to turn/spring board him into the player he already is, a Marbury Clone... score 18pts get 8ast. Sorry I don't want to see that from my franchise point guard as he develops to those numbers. Not to mention Harris isn't and wasn't 18/8 this season, even if he wouldn't have been traded. Harris is already a 4yr pro. Would we have to wait 4yrs or more for Avery to turn someone like Rose into an 18/8 player?

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 05-02-2008 10:12 AM]

Posted by crzymdups:

I don't like Avery's control freak tendencies. I think he's probably right about needing a PG who can slash and score in this league and JKidd is notoriously hard to work with.

I don't think Avery is going to want to sign on for a big rebuilding project anyway. He's going to want to go somewhere that can win immediately. I'd say Phoenix or maybe Toronto. I've heard D'Antoni is a lock for Chicago.

Posted by Nalod:

Avery can get 7 mil to come here.

4 years 28mill good reasons to come here.

Posted by majorleads:

Posted by Nalod:

Avery can get 7 mil to come here.

4 years 28mill good reasons to come here.

I doubt Dolan is going to shell out 7 mil per while also paying Zeke, Walsh, and a new gm especially when we're in a rebuilding phase. And 7 mil per is way too much for Avery. If he's worth that much, he'd still be coaching Dallas.

Posted by Solace:

Posted by majorleads:

Posted by Nalod:

Avery can get 7 mil to come here.

4 years 28mill good reasons to come here.

I doubt Dolan is going to shell out 7 mil per while also paying Zeke, Walsh, and a new gm especially when we're in a rebuilding phase. And 7 mil per is way too much for Avery. If he's worth that much, he'd still be coaching Dallas.

The $7 million is likely taking into account the Knicks history of overpaying. Whenever anyone comes to the Knicks, they expect double they would get elsewhere. In the case of Avery, you might need the kind of money to get him to want to come here.

My opinion is the Knicks need to end the tradition of overpaying. We may lose a few good ones, but in the long run, it will help the team.