Del Harris is staying with the Mavericks, thanks largely to owner Mark Cuban's insistence that one of the franchise's icons stay on board.

Harris' role is yet to be defined, but he essentially has been given a lifetime contract to stay on in an advisory capacity for this season. As a consultant, he will continue to be involved in the day-to-day operations of the team.

"I'm thankful for my many years here, and I thought it would be good to take a year off," Harris said Tuesday. "But Mark was kind enough to offer me a very nice contract situation, and I'm thankful for the opportunity. We talked, and he said he didn't want me to leave."