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Rick Carlisle, Dirk Nowitzki make first public comments on Mavericks' sexual harassment scandal, Mark Cuban's tanking fine

LOS ANGELES -- It was a strange scene on the practice court at USC Wednesday as the Mavericks' evening workout broke up.

With owner Mark Cuban and everybody else in the front office keeping quiet about an eventful and regrettable week of bad news for the Mavericks' organization, it was up to the other faces of the franchise to supply some perspective.

Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle could not have handled it better.

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Nowitzki, the 20-year veteran who treats the Mavericks' organization like his second family, said after the practice that he is glad that news has broken about improper office behavior regarding former president Terdema Ussery and at least one other former employee.

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He called it what it is -- "disgusting."

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"It's tough," Nowitzki said. "It's very disappointing. It's heartbreaking. I'm glad it's all coming out. I was disgusted when I read the article, obviously, as everybody was.

"I was shocked by some of the stuff. Just really really disappointed that in our franchise - my franchise - that stuff like that was going on. It's just very sad."

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And, with about 10 local and national reporters huddled around him, Nowitzki continued: "But I think Mark is trying to step up and lead this franchise in the right direction. Hiring investigators, finding out all the little details that we have to know as a franchise of what really was going on. I think Mark is going to step up and find answers.

"And we as a franchise, we feel bad for the victims and for what happened to some of these ladies - like I said, truly, truly disgusting. Our thoughts and prayers are definitely with these victims."

Carlisle spoke from a position of fatherhood as much as a coach.

"I'm grateful we live in a place and time where people have the courage to speak up about things like this," he said. "I also have a 13-year-old daughter (Abby) and I want her to know that it's both brave and safe to speak out. And that's very important to me and it should be important to everybody.

"When it comes to anything involving the Mavericks, Mark Cuban is a strong believer in extreme ownership, extreme accountability. And he's highly motivated to get this resolved in an expeditious, but thorough manner. No steps will be skipped.

"Things happen for a reason. Any problem or crisis presents an opportunity and this is an opportunity for us to get something fixed."

The sexual harassment issue wasn't the only one.

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Cuban was fined $600,000 for saying on a podcast last weekend that the Mavericks' "best option" was losing for the rest of the season to improve their lottery position.

"I'll never stand for losing on purpose," Nowitzki said. "It's just not who I am.

"The veterans are just going to play hard. You can't really play to lose in this league. I've been around too long. We're all competitors. Even the young guys, when you're out there, you got to compete. If you don't, you lose market value, you might get hurt. There's all these things that can happen if you don't play your minutes hard. That's my advice to young guys, play your minutes hard. Players never play to lose. It might happen, but you don't play for it."

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Asked about not messing with the hoop gods by trying to manipulate the system, he added: "I still love to compete, that's one big reason why I'm still out there. I enjoy playing against some of these guys half my age."

Carlisle said he had an extended conversation with Cuban about it and that Cuban apologized and was embarrassed about the situation.

As for his team, Carlisle said he talked to them and that "We have played with a lot of fight all year long and we will continue to do that. That's how we're going to proceed."

Here's a full transcript of Carlisle's comments:

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Opening statement: "I'm going to make a brief statement, a little bit about what I know. First of all, I'm grateful we live in a place and time where people have the courage to speak up about things like this. I also have a 13-year-old daughter, and I want her to know that it's both brave and safe to speak out, and that's very important to me and it should be important to everybody.

"What I can tell you is there's going to be a thorough investigation into this from an outside group led by two people at the top of their profession. Anne Milgram is a former attorney general in the state of New Jersey. She will lead it, and she will be assisted by Evan Krutoy who is a 20-year veteran of the New York City DA's office. They are going to do a very in-depth investigation. They're going to talk to everybody in the organization, and they're going to find out the how, the why, and the best way to resolve this. An outside party was brought in so that there will be no local influence or anything like that, and these people are the best of the best.

"Their findings are going to go directly to Mark Cuban and Adam Silver, and the Mavericks will abide by whatever recommendations are made. I can tell you that when it comes to anything involving the Mavericks, Mark Cuban is a strong believer in extreme ownership, extreme accountability and he is highly motivated to get this resolved in an expeditious and thorough fashion, and no steps will be skipped in this."

On if this is embarrassing for the team: "Things happen for a reason. Any problem or crisis presents opportunity, and this is an opportunity for us to get something fixed."

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On Mark Cuban's tanking comments: "I've talked to the team about that. I talked to Mark in great detail about it last night. He apologized profusely for those comments. He's embarrassed by it. The circumstances are important, but what is important, a couple of things, I know that the $600,000 fine he is going to match that fine and donate the money to a charity that's going to be an important charity. I'm not exactly sure which one. As far as our team, we've played with a lot of fight all year long, and we will continue to do that and that's how we're going to proceed."

On if the allegations are a distraction: "The game is in two days. So after today I don't expect to see you guys around much, to tell you the truth. This is an important situation that needs to addressed the right way and Mark and the Mavericks organization will do that."

More Mavericks scandal coverage

-- Unanswered questions still surround Mavs, Cuban in wake of sexual harassment scandal

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-- Rick Carlisle, Dirk make first public comments on Mavericks' sexual harassment scandal

-- How on earth could Cuban have completely missed the scandal at Mavs HQ?

-- Cuban's presidential hopes take on heavy baggage with Mavs' 'culture of sexual harassment'

-- Cuban, Mavs national reaction: 'Ignorance doesn't cut it as a defense anymore'

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-- SI's Jon Wertheim: Where tips on Mavs' sexual harassment story came from

-- SI legal expert: Here's what the NBA could potentially do to punish Cuban, Mavs in light of scandal

-- Keeping writer Earl K. Sneed on staff was 'horrible mistake,' Cuban admits to ESPN

-- Ex-Mavs.com writer Sneed responds to domestic violence incidents, thanks Cuban

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-- Could NBA commissioner Adam Silver take away Mavericks' first-round draft pick?

-- Cuban denies having knowledge of reported misogynistic behavior within Mavs, vows to get it fixed

-- In 1998 the Mavs investigated, yet retained, Terdema Ussery after alleged improper behavior 'with multiple female employees'

-- Cowlishaw in 1998 on Ussery allegations: These things have their way of leaking out into brightest of spotlights

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-- Can Cuban be trusted to clean up Mavs' office misbehavior if it happened under his watch?