DALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks want to bring back restricted free-agent center Wang Zhizhi. They just don't want him back yet.

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said Thursday that the team has tendered a qualifying contract offer to Wang, but that he can't play for the Dallas summer-league team because he has refused to return to China for mandatory training with the national team.

''We have the right to retain him,'' Cuban said. ''He's got the qualifying offer, but we've got agreements with the Chinese government from when we brought him over that we wouldn't do anything to withhold him from going back. And so we want to keep our word. ''

The qualifying offer means the Mavericks can match any other offer to Wang, so long as it has a first-year salary at the league average, which is about $4.5 million.

The Mavericks made Wang the first Chinese NBA player when they drafted him in the second round of the 1999 draft after lengthy negotiations with the Chinese government. The agreement calls for the Mavericks to release the 7-foot-1 backup center whenever the Chinese national team asks them to.

Earlier this month, Wang's whereabouts became a mystery after he missed two deadlines to return to China to prepare for the World Championship games in Indianapolis this summer. Wang, 24, continues to work out privately in Los Angeles to prepare for the world games, adviser Simon Chan said.

Cuban said Wang will probably be a Maverick next season, assuming everything works out with China.

''We expect him to come back next year unless somebody makes him an obscene offer that we can't match,'' he said. ''And we don't expect that.''

Mavericks coach Don Nelson declined comment Thursday but told The Dallas Morning News in Thursday's editions that the team hasn't been in contact with Wang since the end of the season.

Wang averaged 5.6 points and two rebounds last season. In his rookie season, he played in five games, averaging 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds. Wang was a perennial all-star in China, leading the Rockets to their third straight Chinese Basketball Association title in 1998 while averaging 22.2 points, 9.3 rebounds and three blocks.

Also Thursday, Cuban said the generally trade-friendly Mavericks haven't heard much from the league leading up to next week's draft. Dallas has the No. 55 pick.