The Dallas Morning News' Web site tonight is reporting that Rick Carlisle has reached an agreement in principle with the Dallas Mavericks on a four-year contract to become the head coach of the NBA team.

The newspaper quoted an unnamed NBA source.

Carlisle, who was a member of a University of Virginia team that made it to the NCAA Final Four, had been expected to be offered the job. He was the Mavericks' first choice to replace Avery Johnson.

Carlisle has six years of NBA coaching experience in stints at Detroit and Indiana. He led both teams to the Eastern Conference finals, taking Detroit there in 2003 and Indiana in '04.

Some say he did his best coaching in the 2004-05 season. He had the unfortunate job of leading the Pacers after the ugly brawl that spilled into the stands during a game in Detroit at the beginning of that season.

Despite suspensions of some players -- he lost star Ron Artest for the whole year -- and injuries to others that season, Carlisle led the team to the second round of the playoffs.