Taken from the Dallas Morning News.

8/10  It seems that the Tarpley camp has truly changed their tune.  
Tarpley's agent George Andrews said about Tarpley returning to Dallas 
and _playing_ for Dallas (instead of forcing a trade), "I'd say it's 
more likely.  Before Dick [Motta] was picked as coach, I'd say there
was no chance."
More from Andrews: "I think he's prepared to listen to Mr. Carter.
And maybe some of the things we thought had not changed there have 
changed.  We'll wait and see."
Andrews also said that Tarpley returning to Olympiakos, the Greek
team he has been playing for the past 2 years, is no longer a 
possiblity.
GM Norm Sonju said that the team is prepared to offer Tarpley a
contract "within 24 hours" after he is reinstated.  The contract,
which has been discussed with Tarpley and his agent, is a multi-
year deal worth between $2.5 to $3 million per season.
The league's decision regarding reinstatment was expected to come
in late August, but they only have a few more days before that 
becomes early September.

8/16  The Mavs' second mini-camp is scheduled for September 15-17.
It is a voluntary camp which will contain two-a-day practices.  Of
those invited to the first camp, only Lorenzo Williams (due to 
personal matters) and Jason Kidd missed the first mini-camp.  The
Mavs' true training camp starts October 7.

8/19  Jason Kidd signed a contract with Nike that could be worth
as much as $15 million over 8 years.  The contract reportedly has 
an opt-out clause for Kidd (not Nike) after two years.  The Nike logo
for Kidd will be a silhouette of a player dribbling and holding
up one finger, as if he were calling a play.  Nike wants him to go
on a promotional tour to Japan and China in September and has agreed
to let him leave the tour in time for the Mavs' mini-camp - if Kidd
is under contract with the Mavs by then (not!).
For comparision, Jamal Mashburn received a 5 year, $7.5 million 
contract with Fila last year and Shaquille O'Neal's contract with
Reebok was $15 million over 5 years.

Jamal Mashburn is still drooling over the idea of having Kidd on 
the team.  He got to play with Kidd while Kidd was in town for a 
visit.
Mash: "He looks good.  I like playing with him.  He pushes it up a
whole lot.  He gets a lot of steals.  I don't think it will by any
problem for him to average double digits in assists this year."

The Dallas Mavericks Pre-Season Schedule (all times Central)
Saturday, October 15  vs Chicago   6:00
    at Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky  [for the Mashburn fans]
Wednesday, October 19  vs Cleveland  6:30
    at Columbus, Ohio  [for the Jackson fans]
Thursday, October 20  vs Indiana  7:00
    at Evansville, Indiana
Saturday, October 22  vs Washington  7:30
    at Reunion Arena
Tuesday, October 25  vs Cleveland  7:30
    at Reunion Arena
Thursday, October 27  at Charlotte  6:30
     Charlotte Coliseum
Sunday, October 30  vs Indiana  7:30
    at Tarrant County Convention Center, Fort Worth, Texas


patricia