The Dallas Mavericks are moving ahead in their search for a new head coach after parting ways with Jason Kidd in May. They have a rising star in reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg, two first-round picks in the draft later this month, and a roster with quality players. It's an attractive job for any coach on the open market.
With new team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz, the Mavericks are trying to turn the page on a rocky 16 months since the trade of Luka Doncic in February 2025. Since then, Dallas fired the general manager who made that trade, Nico Harrison, traded away the return piece Anthony Davis, and ousted its head coach. The franchise also landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 Draft, which brought them Cooper Flagg.
The matchup already has enough history; the job is to keep the reading list shorter than the tension.
The next coach will be tasked with furthering Flagg's development and guiding the Mavericks back toward contention. Marc Stein reports that Dallas plans to speak with more than a dozen coaches. Here are some of the names attached to the position.
College candidates with Flagg ties
Almost immediately after Kidd was let go, Duke coach Jon Scheyer emerged as a natural fit. He coached Flagg during his single season with the Blue Devils, when Duke reached the Final Four with Flagg leading the way. Stein reports that the Mavericks have had exploratory conversations with Scheyer, though it's unclear if he's ready to leave what many consider the best college coaching job in the country.
Duke sits No. 2 in CBS Sports' latest college basketball rankings after returning four of their top six scorers and adding quality transfer portal players. The Blue Devils will be title contenders again next season, making that a difficult position to walk away from.
The Mavericks have also reached out to Michigan coach Dusty May, who is coming off a national championship this past season. The odds of either leaving their current posts are low, but it's worth exploring whether a prized candidate might fall into their lap.
With either candidate, Dallas would be gambling that collegiate success can translate to the NBA. The expectations in Dallas wouldn't be terribly high to start, which could make this an ideal situation for someone willing to grow with Flagg.
Assistant coaches on the market
A more expected route is hiring one of the league's top assistant coaches. Dallas already reached out to San Antonio's associate head coach Sean Sweeney, who served under Kidd for several seasons, but he accepted the Orlando Magic's coaching position.
Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori has surfaced in recent coaching cycles. Nori is a defensive-minded coach who could elevate Dallas on that end of the floor. Giving him someone like Flagg to develop would be a treat, as the reigning Rookie of the Year has already shown flashes of being an All-Defensive level player.
Other names the Mavericks are expected to explore include Houston Rockets assistant Royal Ivey, Raptors assistant Jama Mahlalela, Celtics assistant Tony Dobbins, and Miami Heat consultant Noah LaRoche.
Ivey served as an assistant under Billy Donovan in OKC, David Fizdale in New York, and Steve Nash in Brooklyn. He's also been the head coach of South Sudan's national team since 2021. Under his tutelage, South Sudan reached the quarterfinals at AfroBasket 2021, earned a World Cup berth in 2023, and made the country's first Olympic appearance in 2024. Ivey has experience coaching star players like Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Russell Westbrook, and spent time in Brooklyn when Kyrie Irving was there.
Mahlalela has been involved with the Raptors since 2006, starting in community development. He became an assistant coach in 2013 and head coach of the G League affiliate in 2018. Mahalela spent two seasons as an assistant under Steve Kerr from 2021 to 2023, during which the team won a championship in 2022. He returned to the Raptors in 2023. There's an obvious connection between Mahlalela and Ujiri from their time in Toronto.
Dobbins started his coaching career in 2020 with the Celtics after a 13-year professional career, primarily overseas. Though his coaching resume is short, he's quickly risen through the ranks in Boston as a defensive-oriented coach. He served as the Celtics summer league coach in 2023 and was integral in Jayson Tatum's recovery from an Achilles tear last season. Tatum praised Dobbins, saying he couldn't thank him enough for his selflessness and daily engagement. Jaylen Brown also spoke highly of Dobbins, highlighting his patience and ability to help players manage the emotions of the game.
The last name on the list is LaRoche, who briefly served as an assistant under Taylor Jenkins in Memphis before the Grizzlies cleaned house of their coaching staff in 2025. He was brought into Miami this season as a consultant to help reimagine the Heat's offense. He's worked with a variety of NBA players in the offseason as a trainer and consultant, and Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called him an innovative coaching mind. LaRoche installed a more free-flowing, uptempo style of offense in Memphis, then did the same in Miami. That would be welcomed in Dallas with a burgeoning star in Flagg, who excels getting downhill and playing in transition.