Terry wants a long-term deal with Dallas

Published Jun. 18, 2012 5:48 p.m. ET

foxsports

As Jason Terry sat at his American Airlines Center locker on the night of May 5, the Dallas Mavericks scoring guard noted that although his season had just ended, there was a lot of basketball left in him.

According to comments Terry made Sunday, that basketball future won't be with the Mavericks if they only offer a one-year contract.

"It's a tough situation," Terry told Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. "I'm finally in a position where I can kind of predict my own future, so to speak. I want to stay here in Dallas. That's always been my goal. But it needs to be long term. If they're not ready to step up and do that, then I'll have to make my home elsewhere."

Terry, 34, will officially become an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

It has been widely reported that the Mavs are focused on adding free-agent superstar point guard Deron Williams this summer. If that plan falls through, the Mavericks could choose to sign several players to one-year deals in an attempt to make a run at superstar free-agents Dwight Howard and Chris Paul the following summer.

Asked specifically what he would do if Dallas went with Plan B, Terry responded: "I won't be here. You can count on that. If they're doing that, you won't see the Jet on the runway in Dallas. But my time here was good."

Terry averaged 15.1 points and 3.6 assists this season, his eighth year with the franchise. Could a player that has said several times that he wants his jersey retired at AAC, really leave the franchise he helped win a championship last summer? Terry says he's prepared.

However, even if Terry finishes his playing career with another team, he didn't rule out returning to the Mavs organization later in life.

"Coming back and working for the organization in one position or another has been discussed," Terry said, "and [owner Mark] Cuban and I are on the same page."

Follow Jon Machota on Twitter: @jonmachota