On the first day of free agency, the Mavericks reached agreement with a player they hope will be the next Brandon Bass.

They also said goodbye to one of their longest-tenured employees.

According to an NBA source, the Mavericks struck a deal with Gerald Green, a slender, 6-8 guard who has been in the league three seasons.

It is believed to be a one-year contract.

Green, 22, is a career 36.6-percent 3-point shooter but played in only 30 games last season, 29 of them for Minnesota and one for Houston. In 2006-07, he averaged 10.4 points in 81 games for Boston.

He was the 18th pick in the 2005 draft. The Mavericks hit with Bass last summer in free agency after Bass had two less-than-notable seasons in New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Del Harris, who served as assistant coach to Don Nelson and Avery Johnson over a nine-year stay with the organization, is expected to sign a contract today to be an assistant in Chicago for new Bulls' coach Vinny Del Negro, a source said.

Harris has spent more than 40 years in coaching at virtually every level. He has 506 wins as an NBA head coach.

He joined the Mavericks in 2000 and was top assistant to Nelson until Nelson gave over the coaching reins to Johnson in 2005. Harris served as a consultant last season.

New Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle has already signed Dwane Casey and Terry Stotts as assistants and likely will have Mario Elie and one other coach on the staff.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks got in touch with virtually every agent representing logical free-agent fits in the first hours after contact was permitted late Monday and early Tuesday.

It was unknown whether Green signed for the minimum contract or if Dallas used part of its mid-level exception.

Briefly: Eddie Jones will not opt out of his contract with the Mavericks, meaning he's on board for the 2008-09 season at slightly under $2 million.

That means eight players are under contract: Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Jason Kidd, Erick Dampier, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse, Brandon Bass and Jones. If Green signs officially on July 9, that would bring the total to nine.