So the Dallas Mavericks and their league-high payroll were ousted from the NBA playoffs in the first round. For the second straight year. By the Hornets of all teams.

So now Dallas is left without a coach (Mark Cuban fired Avery Johnson on Wednesday), an aging roster (Josh Howard is the only signed player in his 20s), no first-round draft pick (traded to New Jersey in the Jason Kidd trade) and a bunch of so-so players — Dirk Nowitzki notwithstanding.

Here’s hoping that Cuban can straighten up this mess.