The Mavs signed first round draft pick Samaki Walker to a 3 year, $4,299,000 contract. Walker will earn $1,246,000 in 96-97, $1,495,200 in 97-98, and $1,744,400 in 98-99. Jason Kidd and Jim Cleamons met for the first time since Kidd issued his "ultimatum" on June 24. Keith Grant and Aaron Goodwin, Kidd's agent, were also in attendance, but Kidd and Cleamons reportedly did most of the talking. They met for 90 minutes. Cleamons, as usual, would not discuss the meeting. Kidd did talk about the meeting and seemed positive. Kidd on the Kidd-Jackson feud: "I think for that, that situation should hopefully die down. It probably won't [by the media], but we have a job to do. We have to work together on the court, and that's the bottom line." Kidd on 96-97: "I can't wait. I told [Cleamons] I've been working out, and I'm excited, and I can't wait for the season to start. I think if we can stay healthy, after the All-Star break we'll be a team to be reckoned with. Like [Cleamons] says, it's not going to happen over night." Kidd will not be attending the Mavs voluntary mini-camp September 9-11 due to a prior commitment he had with Nike to go on a promotional tour in Asia. [And my question is why the Mavs scheduled the mini-camp when they knew Kidd could not attend?] The Mavs fired trainer Doug Atkinson and equipment manager Kerry Leath. Atkinson was the only trainer the Mavs had ever had. Leath had been the equipment manager for the past three seasons. The Mavs hired Tandy Freeman as the team doctor. Jamal Mashburn has started running. His rehabilitation is on schedule, but they are taking it slowly. He was cleared from running on August 12. BTW, Mashburn will be wearing contacts this season for the first time in his career. Reports are that his shooting accuracy has improved. Mash: "I'm encouraged by the way I've been moving. [The knee] doesn't bother me, doesn't hurt at all. And I can see now." Mash on how he used to shoot: "I could see the basket, but it was a little bit blurry. The eye doctor said I was shooting on feel." Loren Meyer was one of the three Mavs who attended Pete Newell's Big Man Camp. Meyer on the camp: "Some of the things we did, I've never seen before. I've learned more in one week than I did all last year." A comment that is a slight slam against Motta and his treatment of rookies. Eric Montross and Samaki Waler also attended the camp. I ran the Mavs 96-97 schedule through my schedule breakdown program and here is what this season looks like. Funky Mavs Schedule stuff for 96-97 Way the schedule streaks between the road and home (read horizontally) 1 Road 1 Home 2 Road 2 Home 1 Road 1 Home 1 Road 1 Home 2 Road 2 Home 2 Road 2 Home 3 Road 1 Home 3 Road 2 Home 1 Road 1 Home 2 Road 4 Home 4 Road 7 Home* 3 Road 2 Home 1 Road 2 Home 1 Road 2 Home 2 Road 3 Home 2 Road 1 Home 1 Road 1 Home 4 Road 1 Home 3 Road 4 Home 2 Road 1 Home *includes All-Star weekend Total games: 82 Road games: 41 Home games: 41 Games against Midwest teams: 24 Games against Pacific teams: 28 Games against Atlantic teams: 16 Games against Central teams: 14 Games on Monday: 5 Games on Friday: 8 Games on Tuesday: 19 Games on Saturday: 21 Games on Wednesday: 7 Games on Sunday: 8 Games on Thursday: 14 Dallas plays all Western Conference teams 4 times - 2 at home and 2 on the road. Dallas plays all Eastern Conference teams 2 times - 1 at home and 1 on the road. Game start times (Central time) 2:00 1 5:00 1 7:00 5 8:30 2 2:30 1 6:00 2 7:30 45 9:00 4 3:30 1 6:30 9 8:00 6 9:30 5 November Total games: 14 Road games: 7 Home games: 7 Games against Midwest teams: 4 Games against Pacific teams: 2 Games against Atlantic teams: 4 Games against Central teams: 4 Games on Monday: 0 Games on Friday: 2 Games on Tuesday: 4 Games on Saturday: 4 Games on Wednesday: 1 Games on Sunday: 1 Games on Thursday: 2 December Total games: 13 Road games: 8 Home games: 5 Games against Midwest teams: 3 Games against Pacific teams: 6 Games against Atlantic teams: 3 Games against Central teams: 1 Games on Monday: 1 Games on Friday: 1 Games on Tuesday: 2 Games on Saturday: 3 Games on Wednesday: 1 Games on Sunday: 1 Games on Thursday: 4 January Total games: 15 Road games: 7 Home games: 8 Games against Midwest teams: 5 Games against Pacific teams: 5 Games against Atlantic teams: 4 Games against Central teams: 1 Games on Monday: 2 Games on Friday: 2 Games on Tuesday: 3 Games on Saturday: 4 Games on Wednesday: 2 Games on Sunday: 0 Games on Thursday: 2 February Total games: 12 Road games: 4 Home games: 8 Games against Midwest teams: 5 Games against Pacific teams: 4 Games against Atlantic teams: 1 Games against Central teams: 2 Games on Monday: 1 Games on Friday: 0 Games on Tuesday: 4 Games on Saturday: 3 Games on Wednesday: 0 Games on Sunday: 1 Games on Thursday: 3 March Total games: 17 Road games: 10 Home games: 7 Games against Midwest teams: 3 Games against Pacific teams: 5 Games against Atlantic teams: 4 Games against Central teams: 5 Games on Monday: 0 Games on Friday: 2 Games on Tuesday: 4 Games on Saturday: 4 Games on Wednesday: 2 Games on Sunday: 4 Games on Thursday: 1 April Total games: 11 Road games: 5 Home games: 6 Games against Midwest teams: 4 Games against Pacific teams: 6 Games against Atlantic teams: 0 Games against Central teams: 1 Games on Monday: 1 Games on Friday: 1 Games on Tuesday: 2 Games on Saturday: 3 Games on Wednesday: 1 Games on Sunday: 1 Games on Thursday: 2 patricia