Mavs resign Stack!

[Curtis]

Stackhouse sticking with Mavs

Sixth man agrees to three-year deal, according to sources

05:19 PM CDT on Thursday, July 5, 2007

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

The Mavericks have reached an agreement in principle on a three-year contract with sixth man Jerry Stackhouse, two sources said Thursday afternoon.

While details remain to be finalized, the two sides have agreed on a deal that will make Stackhouse's salary for next season more than the mid-level exception, which is expected to be around $6 million. If the deal starts at $6.5 million, it would be worth more than $21 million for three seasons.

It was not immediately known if any option years, either for the team or for Stackhouse, were included in the deal.

Stackhouse has evolved into one of the NBA's best sixth men in his three seasons with the Mavericks and, at 32, he had said recently that he was confident that he and his agent, Jeff Schwartz, could reach an agreement with the Mavs. Stackhouse said he had no desire to relocate. Schwartz was not available for comment.

Assuming no snags are hit with details of the deal, Stackhouse can sign on Wednesday, the first day that free agents can make agreements official.

The Mavericks have said since the end of the season that retaining Stackhouse was their No. 1 priority in free agency. He provides toughness, scoring (13.3 points per game in three seasons) and a positive vibe in the locker room.

With Stackhouse locked up, the Mavericks can turn their attention to other free-agent interests. They are taking a patient attack in dealing with the players who are believed to be their top targets: Charlotte's Gerald Wallace, Chicago's P.J. Brown, Miami's James Posey, Golden State's Matt Barnes and Philadelphia's Joe Smith.

The Mavericks believe they will get the chance to acquire one or more of those players at a bargain price in the coming weeks.

[D@vid]

i still think the pistons should have kept him here, but i guess it turned out ok since we won a championship