Editor's note: As part of "The Stein Line" every Monday, senior NBA writer Marc Stein takes you around the league for the latest news in "Coast to Coast."

File this idea away for future reference: Avery Johnson, coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

It won't happen next week, or even next season. Assuming, though, that the Mavericks can win a tug-o-war with San Antonio for the Lil' General's post-playing services, Johnson is starting to look like the strongest in-house contender not named Donnie Nelson to succeed Don Nelson down the road. Especially since Donnie is also Dallas' president of basketball operations and has repeatedly said how much he enjoys that new job.

	Avery Johnson, center, would keep his cool a little better than Don Nelson, right.

Big Nellie has no in-stone plans to coach beyond this season but says he's open to staying on the bench at least through 2004 and maybe longer if that's what owner Mark Cuban wants. Whenever he reaches his X-and-O limit -- Nelson turns 63 in May -- he's contracted to move upstairs into a Red Auerbach-style role as Cuban's most weighty basketball voice. Should Donnie Nelson continue to focus on the presidency, co-fronting the team's personnel arm with Cuban, that would create an opening for Johnson. If the Mavs could hang onto Del Harris to mentor A.J., even better.

Nellie had Johnson run a players-only practice last week (not for the first time) and the team's stars are unabashed Avery fans. That includes Steve Nash, who once scuffled with A.J. in a Spurs-Suns playoff game long ago. "I like everything about Avery," Nellie said. "He's just the real deal."

Remember, though, that Johnson still has one more season after this left on his playing contract, and he doesn't look 37 the way he still gets to the hoop in his spot minutes. So he's in no rush to talk about not playing.

Remember, too, that the Spurs' Gregg Popovich is on record as saying he'll be the first one "beating on his door once his contract is up." The lure of the Alamo City will be strong, given Johnson's standing there as a civic treasure in the same breath as George Gervin and David Robinson. Remember also that there's now a franchise in New Orleans, Avery's hometown, and it's safe to say he'll have some sort of prominent post-playing job by the time he's 40.

Mavs' expedition
Meanwhile, back at the streak, coach Avery sounds like coach Nellie, voices aside. They're both downplaying the 13-0 start. Asked if he's worried that the Mavericks are peaking too soon, A.J. screeched: "Nooooo wayyyyy. We can't peak too soon. We've got three of our top 10 players out. Raef (LaFrentz) is a starter, Nick (Van Exel) plays like a starter and Popeye Jones ... we were really depending on him to give us some rebounding. But nobody's getting carried away with the streak. Everybody here knows that the only thing that matters is getting to the Finals."

Greece is the word
Still no definitive word on the site (or dates) for next summer's Olympic qualifying tournament, but the field has been narrowed to two. Puerto Rico (San Juan specifically) is said to be the favorite, but word is Mexico City is offering more money to COPABA, the region's governing body under FIBA jurisdiction. Mind you, with the players who have reportedly committed to playing, Team USA should finish in the top three (all it needs) wherever the tournament is held. Tim Duncan, Tracy McGrady, Jason Kidd and Ray Allen are all in. ESPN colleague David Aldridge reported last week that Kevin Garnett and Allen Iverson will be in shortly. Chris Webber told ESPN.com two weeks ago that he wants to represent his country, and Kobe Bryant has been addressing the subject publicly. Dare we say they'll make it to Athens?

Random personnel stuff
Khalid El-Amin had the option, like other vets who prefer a stint with the most famous team in the world to sampling the NBDL or CBA, to join Cedric Ceballos and Olden Polynice with the Harlem Globetrotters. El-Amin, who went to training camp with Miami, instead opted to sign with Maccabi Ramat Gan in Israel. Which isn't to be confused with European club power Maccabi Tel-Aviv. El-Amin was lured to Israel by Ramat Gan coach Hanoch Mintz, a close friend of another former UConn Husky: Doron Sheffer. Not surprisingly, Sheffer is also practicing with the team as part of his bid to unretire after two years out of the game, including a battle against testicular cancer. ... Atlanta is looking to add size to its backcourt, given the grim forecasts for DerMarr Johnson. After an offseason car accident that broke his neck, Johnson is said to have no more than a 50-50 shot at making a comeback. ... A.J. Guyton doesn't have a guaranteed contract, but by joining Golden State he adds credence to the Warriors' contention that streetball legend Rafer Alston wasn't released because of money issues. Alston reportedly shot more than one contrary glance at hard-driving rookie coach Eric Musselman during exhibition play, and that was that.

Lakers' cut above
The difference? The reason no one in Lakerland is moaning too much about a 3-9 start or the fact that Shaquille O'Neal waited until Sept. 11 to have toe surgery? Because he ultimately consented to an operation. The Lakers couldn't make Shaq do so and the fact Shaq did, late or not, has the thrice-defending champions believing that they'll be getting a whole Shaq back now. Or soon.

No one will know for sure until the toe responds to multiple games, in addition to the extra weight Shaq's still carrying. The Lakers nonetheless believe they won't have to go through Grant Hill-style treading on eggshells every night, awaiting the next flareup like last season, when Shaq missed multiple chunks of games. "Shaq had his surgery," Rick Fox says, pointing to L.A.'s source of four-peat optimism.

Marc Stein is the senior NBA writer for ESPN.com. To e-mail him, click here.