The Dallas Mavericks' brass heaped praise on Dwane Casey before the two teams squared off on Friday in Toronto.

Mark Cuban recommended that the Raptors hire Casey shortly after the 2011 NBA Finals run. Casey was an assistant coach on the Mavs' title team.

“I was very complimentary of him to them because of the attention he pays to detail, his understanding of the game, his ability to relate to players, he’s the total package,” Cuban said.

“I think he didn’t get a fair shake where he was as a head coach prior (in Minnesota). I mean, he was the difference-maker for us. We don’t win a championship without him.”

“There were a lot more established coaches that he passed on,” Rick Carlisle added.

“He really targeted Dwane as a guy that he knew could take a group of younger guys, mould them and instill a defensive philosophy and a defensive disposition in how they played. The very first year the record wasn’t great but the defensive numbers did a 180. From there they have built it up each year. Dwane has earned the right to have a team this good and he has done a great job of building it up to this point.”

The New York Knicks have started the season slowly, while two of Carmelo Anthony's free agency suitors, the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, look capable of going on deep title runs.

Anthony and the Knicks play both teams on the road this week.

"Of course I know that they're playing very well," Anthony said at shootaround Monday morning. "It's not something that I kind of say to myself that I regret doing this or regret doing that."

Anthony bought into the vision of Phil Jackson to stay with the Knicks.

"No, I can't do that," Anthony said of playing the what-if game. "I can't do that. I can't do that. That's just not my nature as a person. I would never be able to sit down and ask myself 'what if?'"

Anthony said he "took a deep, long look at" all that Houston had to offer, such as weather, and no state tax. He had conversations with Howard, but in the end wanted to remain with the Knicks.

"We had some great dialogue back and forth," Anthony said. "I talked to him. We talked about some things. Ultimately it came down to what I felt at that moment, what I really wanted.

"Me and Dwight had some contact and some conversation. He tried. He tried extremely hard. It didn't have anything to do with Dwight or James or anything like that. It came down to my own decision."

The Dallas Mavericks have assigned Ricky Ledo to the Texas Legends of the NBA Development League.

Ledo (6-7, 200) has been inactive in each of the Mavericks’ 12 games this season.

The Dallas Mavericks expect to have maximum or near-max cap space available next summer and LaMarcus Aldridge undoubtedly would be a top target.

Aldridge is in the final season of a five-year, $65 million contract with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Aldridge rejected a three-year, $55 million extension this summer, just as other superstar players have done due to the financial benefit of waiting for free agency.

“It’s just financially smarter to wait,” said Aldridge at the time. “And I’m looking forward to signing the five-year deal when the chance comes.”

Aldridge was asked about free agency on Thursday.

“Ease up on that,” he said.

Aldridge is a native of the Dallas area.

“That’s hard to speculate,” Brandan Wright said. “He says he wants to be here (in Portland). I’m going to take his word for it, especially this early in the season.”

Dirk Nowitzki would be interested in having Aldridge join the Mavericks, even though they have similar games.

“I think I’ve showed in my career that I can play with anybody in this league,” Nowitzki said. “In some situations, he’s playing the five [center] when they go small, so …”

Mark Cuban believes the NBA doesn't need to play regular season games in London the way the NFL is with three on the schedule this year. 

“The NFL is desperate,” Cuban said. “We’re not.”

Asked what the NFL is desperate for, Cuban said: “To build international fans. We’re not.

“I get why they’re doing it. But more power to them.”

The NBA has played games in London for several years, with the New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks going this season.