HSources: Diop commits to Mavericks, Green agrees to deal
Free-agent center DeSagana Diop on Tuesday gave a verbal commitment to sign a new contract to return to the Dallas Mavericks, according to NBA front-office sources.
Sources told ESPN.com that Diop, traded by the Mavericks to New Jersey in February as part of the Jason Kidd deal, will receive the Mavericks' full mid-level exception in a five-year deal starting at nearly $6 million.
Diop cannot officially sign and the Mavericks cannot officially comment until July 9, which is the first day NBA teams can announce signings and trades after a league-wide moratorium on roster moves is lifted.
Dallas also has agreed to a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Gerald Green, a 22-year-old former slam dunk champion who had been unemployed since March. He passed a physical Wednesday and paperwork to make the deal official is being finalized. Since he wasn't on a team when last season ended, he can be signed at any time.
In other free agent news, Eddie Jones has exercised his $2 million option to return next season, when he'll be 37, and the Mavs are trying to keep their other free agents: Devean George, Antoine Wright and J.J. Barea.
Diop was a key member of the Dallas team that toppled its in-state rivals from San Antonio and reached the 2006 NBA Finals. It was the franchise's first trip beyond the Western Conference finals.
Dallas will be Green's fourth team in as many seasons. He was drafted 18th overall by Boston in 2005 and won the dunk contest in 2007. He went to Minnesota in the Kevin Garnett trade, then was sent to Houston a few days after finishing second in the '08 dunk contest. The Rockets used him in one game, then released him.
"Sure, it's been humbling," agent Colin Bryant told The Associated Press. "If you're out of the league, you have a lot of time to think about it. That's where his hunger and focus come from. It's a brand new Gerald Green. The rest of the league will soon find that out."
Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
FREE AGENCY 2008
The NBA offseason has been busier than expected, thanks in part to Elton Brand's joining the 76ers. Keep up with the latest moves. Transactions
News
• George's deal with Mavs made official• Brown returns to New Orleans to back up Paul
• Veteran Finley re-signs with Spurs
• Nuggets re-sign Smith to multiyear deal
• Miles signs with champion Celtics
• George, Mavs agree to two-year deal
• Clips re-sign free-agent center Paul Davis
• Iguodala signs six-year deal with Sixers
• Sources: 76ers, Iguodala agree to multiyear deal
• Hawks match Grizzlies' $58M offer, retain Smith
• Heat's Williams reaches terms with Clippers
• Bobcats' Boykins signs European contract
• Restricted free agent Williams re-signs with 76ers
• Cavs shore up backcourt, sign ex-Grizzly Kinsey
• Arroyo signs with Maccabi Tel-Aviv
• Ex-Clipper draftee Skinner signs deal with team
• Bulls sign Deng to six-year extension
• Sources: Deng, Bulls on verge of deal
• Hawks sign ex-Magic G Evans to contract
• Sources: Okafor, Cats agree on new deal
• Nets lose Krstic to Moscow team
• Clippers sign swingman Davis from Heat
• Vujacic officially signs multiyear deal with Lakers
• Agent: Brown, Pistons agree to deal
• Warriors re-sign Biedrins to 6-year, $62M deal
• Sources: Biedrins, Warriors agree to 6-year deal
• Wolves agree to deal with Gomes
• Lakers, Vujacic agree to 3-year, $15 million deal
• Ellis inks $67 million deal to stay with Warriors
• Summer star Roberson signs with Knicks
• Andersen bolts Hornets to return to Denver
• Telfair re-signs with Timberwolves
• Childress leaves NBA for Greece
• Spurs re-sign Kurt Thomas
• Suns sign ex-Warrior Barnes to one-year deal
• Turiaf to play for Warriors
• Jazz, Williams agree to 4-year extension
• Sources: Clippers, Azubuike agree to offer sheet
• Bucks add veterans Allen, Lue
• Posey agrees to 4-year deal with Hornets
• Arenas signs six-year deal with Wiz
• Mason's hard work pays off in contract with Spurs
• Wright re-signs with Mavericks
• Clippers officially sign Davis to multiyear contract
• Family ties: Brent is 3rd Barry to play for Rockets
• Warriors ink forward Maggette to deal
• Magic sign, introduce ex-Warrior Pietrus
• Nets agree to terms with forwards Najera, Hayes
• Sixers give frontline big boost, sign Brand to deal
• Agent: Bucks to sign Bogut to $60M extension
• Diop rejoins Mavs on 5-year, $31M contract
• Gasol in Memphis: Marc, not Pau, signs contract
• Kings re-sign point guard Udrih to five-year deal
• Heat sign 3-point specialist Jones to 5-year deal
• Sources say Brand will sign with 76ers
• Sources: NBA cap at $58.68 million
• Sources: 76ers confident of getting Brand
• Sixers making run at Brand
• Hawks free agent Smith visits 76ers
• Brand opts out, and Clippers await decision
• Calderon reaches agreement on new Raps deal
• Wizards hang on to Jamison
• Reports: Arenas agrees to six-year contract
• For 2nd year in row, Cats, Okafor to discuss deal
• Artest not opting out of final year of deal
• Paul agrees on four-year, $68M deal
• Davis leaving Warriors for Clippers
• Free Agents: 2008 | 2009 and 2010
Analysis
• Hollinger: Hornets pay heavily for Posey's ring• Martin: Najera's 3-point skills help seal Nets deal
• Stein: Which teams in hot pursuit of free agents?
• Adande: Why Brand left the Clippers
• Broussard: Crushing blow for Clippers
• Arnovitz: Clipper Nation in world of hurt
• Adande: Brand's departure is business as usual
• Hollinger: Brand new Sixers are East challengers
• Hollinger: Five big questions on free agents
• Stein: Davis verbally agrees to go to Clippers
• Broussard: The Clippers' other free agent
• TrueHoop: What is Corey Maggette Worth?
Podcast 
•
Stein on Elton Brand and Baron Davis• Hollinger on players who may switch teams
• Broussard on the money given to Arenas
• Sheridan on Brand, Davis, Artest and Smith
Video
• Bucher on how the Brand deal got done• Bucher on the latest NBA news
• Arenas agrees to six-year extension
More NBA Headlines
