Rick Carlisle, Mavericks agree on 5-year extension, per report

The Dallas Mavericks and head coach Rick Carlisle are finalizing a five-year, $35 million extension to keep Carlisle as the franchise's head coach through 2022, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

Stein reported back on Oct. 26 that the Mavericks and Carlisle were in advanced negotiations on said new deal. Carlisle will get approximately $7 million per year, which makes him the highest paid coach without also having a dual-executive title.

Only Gregg Popovich and Eric Spoelstra have been tenured longer than Carlisle has with the Mavericks.

Stein also noted that Carlisle has a team-option after this season. That will go into effect next season, then the new five-year deal will begin in 2017-18 and expire after the 2021-22 season. Carlisle's $7 million figure will tie him with Stan Van Gundy as the third-highest paid head coach in the NBA, trailing only Popovich and Doc Rivers.

This was going to be the most important signing Dallas would have to make next summer if nothing was done now. Carlisle's importance to the Mavericks goes beyond X's and O's. He's being rewarded handsomely, and deservedly so.

Carlisle became the winningest coach in Mavericks history this past Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers. The 103-93 victory was Carlisle's 340th in seven years at the helm in Dallas, passing Don Nelson.