It was not long ago that power forward Karl Malone declared the Dallas Mavericks to be quite high on a very short list of NBA teams with which he would consider should he decide to leave Utah this summer.

Now that NBA clubs are free to negotiate with free agents from throughout the league, the Mavs are publicly expressing mutual feelings.

"Karl is one of a very short list of players we are interested in, and we will be talking to his agent," Mavs owner Mark Cuban said early Tuesday, mere minutes after the free-agency market officially opened.

It is believed contact was indeed made Tuesday between Dallas officials and Dwight Manley, Malone's California-based agent.

The Mavs, however, are widely reported to be first targeting Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning as a prospective free-agent signee, with Malone a secondary big-man target option should Mourning not want to go to Dallas.

Cuban — writing via e-mail, the dot-com billionaire's preferred method of communication — would not address Mourning's standing vs. that of Malone's in the eyes of the Mavs. He also would not say if the Mavs would immediately make Malone a contract offer.

But Cuban did have kind things to say about Malone, an 18-season Jazz veteran and the NBA's No. 2 all-time scorer.

"Karl is an amazing player and a genetic wonder," Cuban said, "so we are obviously interested."

There may be an ulterior motive, too, to Dallas' interest in Malone, who on July 24 turns 40 years old.

"Plus," Cuban joked, "it would be nice to have someone my age around to talk to."

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E-MAIL: tbuckley@desnews.com