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Thursday, May 15, 1997

Mavericks hire back a familiar face: Keith Grant

By RICHIE WHITT / Fort Worth Star-Telegram

DALLAS - Seven months after resigning because of a perceived lack of power, Keith Grant returned to the Mavericks yesterday with a lesser title, more money and a revamped relationship with minority owner Frank Zaccanelli.

Grant, a former equipment manager who steadily climbed the management ladder after joining the franchise during its 1980 inception, accepted general manager Don Nelson's invitation to be the team's director of player personnel after meeting with Zaccanelli for more than an hour on Friday. The two had several disagreements last summer, resulting in Grant resigning as general manager after only three months because he felt his input was ignored.

"Common sense said that meeting had to take place," said Grant, who signed a three-year deal to serve as Nelson's right-hand man. "And it was a very good meeting. There were some things he did (last summer) that I didn't like and vice versa. It would have been silly not to sit down and iron things out."

Zaccanelli, now voluntarily out of the team's day-to-day operation, declined to comment on his first conversation with Grant since the shocking resignation. Nelson, however, confirmed that the accord was necessary.

"They went through some difficult times (last summer), but they sat down and got on the same page," Nelson said. "We couldn't have hired Keith unless they got that done. We couldn't afford to have it be awkward."

Grant was the team's vice president of basketball operations when Zaccanelli, Ross Perot Jr. and David McDavid bought the franchise last May from Donald Carter. After longtime general manager Norm Sonju resigned, Grant was eventually promoted July 10. He resigned Oct. 17, however, after he said a series of his suggestions were vetoed including: putting lottery-protection on the trade for Eric Montross, targeting Lorenzen Wright in the draft and warning against signing Oliver Miller.

Miller was immediately released by Nelson, the Boston Celtics own Dallas' No. 1 pick in this weekend's lottery, Montross was traded to the New Jersey Nets by Nelson and Samaki Walker suffered through a disappointing, injury-plagued rookie season as the Mavericks stumbled to a 24-58 record.

When he resigned, the Mavericks consistently said that Grant suffered from burnout, a claim Grant denies.

"Maybe stressed out is a better way to say it," said Grant, who began scouting for the Vancouver Grizzlies a week after his departure. "There were a lot of things I didn't like and they all piled up."

Grant, who said he was never given a raise last summer, despite his promotion, signed a three-year deal that sources said averages more per season than he made as general manager.

"By NBA standards, it's a very fair deal," Grant said.

Grant's hiring coincides with a three-year extension given to director of scouting Ron Ekker, giving the Mavericks a standard basketball department for the first time in the team's 17-year history. The Mavericks have never had the luxury of a basketball-minded general manager, director of player personnel, director of scouting and scouts below.

"It's complete, and it's a fantastic unit," Nelson said.

Grant, 39, will have strong input into next month's draft, when the Mavericks will select 15th. Despite Grant's recent obvious misses on draft picks Cherokee Parks (12th overall in '95) and Tony Dumas (19th in '94), Nelson still calls Grant one of the "sharpest minds" in the league.

"He knows his stuff," Nelson said. "When I was making out the job description, he fit it perfectly. I called and told him we're looking for a guy just like you. It was natural. He'll just be an extension of me."

Said Grant: "I'm loyal to the Mavericks, and I'm very comfortable with Nellie. It's just weird how it all worked out."

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