The Mavericks will enter the 2010-11 season with a wealth of talent at center, a position that has been a liability at times in recent years.

"It's a bit of a new start when you consider Damp was there for so long, so it will be interesting to watch," Dallas director of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said of long-time center Erick Dampier.

"We have some different options there. We're long, athletic and I do think we'll have some intensity there."

The Mavericks have Tyson Chandler, Brendan Haywood, Alexis Ajinca and Ian Mahinmi to bang in the paint.

Chandler and Ajinca have already done battle this summer as members of the American and French national teams, respectively.

"You can see it starting already," Nelson said of the competition. "They know there is an opportunity there to earn some playing time and impress people, and we expect to see the same thing even in practice."

Carmelo Anthony's wish list could consist of a single destination.

"Melo wants it all," said his friend, indicating that Anthony's desire is to play for the Knicks.

Like many clubs, the Mavericks would naturally have interest in acquiring Anthony but the team reportedly believes that New York is where Anthony intends to wind up.  

Without Anthony agreeing to sign an extension with the team to which the Nuggets would trade him -- a rare 'extend-and-trade' scenario -- Denver could have a hard time receiving quality offers in return.

"Carmelo wants the legacy. The fastest way for him to become a transcendent player is to get away from the Lakers (and the Western Conference), lead the Knicks to success, get that endorsement money, and be close to home (on the East Coast)," said a source.  "He's as concerned about his 'image' and his 'profile' as any player in the NBA. If he can pull this off, he's right there with LeBron and Kobe."

The Dallas Mavericks announced today they have re-signed free agent forward Tim Thomas. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Thomas (6-10, 230), a 13-year veteran, was the seventh overall selection in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and has played with seven teams during his career (Philadelphia, Milwaukee, New York, Chicago, Phoenix, L.A. Clippers and Dallas), including two stints with both New York and Chicago. In 824 career games, he holds averages of 11.5 points and 4.1 rebounds, while shooting .437 from the field, .369 from behind-the-arc and .758 from the foul line.

The Mavericks have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with forward Tim Thomas.

He is expected to sign a contract on Thursday once he passes a physical.

Thomas will make the veteran's minimum of $1.35 million.

Dallas signed Thomas to a one-year deal last season as a free agent, but played just 18 games before leaving the team to tend to his ailing wife.

Rodrigue Beaubois will undergo surgery Friday to have a pin inserted in his broken left foot, a procedure that is expected to sideline him two to three months.

"We're going to do it right so it's not a recurring type of situation," said Donnie Nelson, Mavs president of basketball operations. "It just depends on the healing process. When his foot is fully healed, we'll let him back on the court, and not until then."

Beaubois had a very promising rookie season and his development is one element Dallas is counting on for the 10-11 season.

Tim Thomas will visit the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday and the sides are expected to reach an agreement on a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum, his agent, Bob Myers, said Monday.

Thomas was forced to leave the Mavericks to attend to his wife's illness. She is now reportedly doing better, which will allow Thomas to resume his NBA career.

"If all goes well, we'll reach an agreement," Myers said Monday.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein first reported in late July that Thomas and the Mavs were working on a deal.

The Mavericks have confirmed a report in the French newspaper L'Equipe that guard Rodrigue Beaubois broke his foot while training with the national team.

Beaubois broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his left foot. The worst-case scenario would be that Beaubois needs surgery and will miss three months of action.

The team is is flying Beaubois back to Dallas so the Mavericks staff can evaluate the severity of the injury and treat it.

"As long as he is ready at the beginning of the season, it will be fine," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban wrote in an e-mail to ESPN.com. "Might give [Mavericks first-round pick Dominique Jones] a chance to shine."

Caron Butler is heading into the final year of his contract, which leads some to believe that the Mavericks could put him on the trade block this season.

Butler will make $10.8 million during the 2010-11 season and could be a potential target for a contending team looking for a short-term fix.