Will Carlisle And Kidd Mesh?

Hooped Up | September 22, 2008

In nine days, the Mavericks will convene for the 2008-09 season, and if you’re wondering what they have learned since the commotion that engulfed the team four months ago, it can be summed up easily. Change is good. They are referring to new coach Rick Carlisle. But they also believe the transition from Avery Johnson will show an earlier change — trading for Jason Kidd – was a smart move. Carlisle has three assistants who were not with the Mavericks last season: Terry Stotts, Dwane Casey and Tom Sterner. He also has Mario Elie, a holdover from Johnson’s staff. Their job will start with Kidd, the trade-deadline addition who was supposed to take the Mavericks deep into the Western Conference playoffs. But Kidd and Johnson never meshed. Johnson’s offense was a poor fit for Kidd’s skills. That has to change.