Since the firing of Jason Kidd, Mavericks fans have been speculating on who the Mavericks could hire to replace him, and with Masai Ujiri’s track record, it could be someone unexpected.
So with this search underway, who are some likely candidates, and are there unexpected names that could surprise the NBA world, all according to the Athletics’ Christian Clark.
1. Sean Sweeney
The first name that has come up for many Mavericks fans is former Maverick assistant Sean Sweeney.
Sweeney was an assistant for the Mavericks
from 2021-2024, and was Jason Kidd’s lead assistant. Sweeney was instrumental to Dallas’ 2 deep playoff runs, specifically being the mastermind behind those teams elite defenses.
According to Clark, it is a matter of “when — not if — Sweeney will land a head coaching job”, with both the Bulls and Magic expected to show interest.
Sweeney would bring an intensity, and x’s and o’s focus that hasn’t been seen since Rick Carlisle, and could hopefully instill a defensive mindset that has been sorely lacking.
2. Micah Nori
The second name mentioned by Clark is current Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori. Nori has served under Chris Finch for 5 years, and technically has head coaching experience.
This came in the series against the Mavericks in 2024 after Finch injured his knee in game 4 of their previous series.
Nori has been a prime candidate for multiple hiring cycles, and would be a prime candidate for the Mavericks job.
3. Tiago Splitter
The third NBA coach mentioned by Clark is former Portland Trailblazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter.
Splitter was heading into the 2025-2026 season as an assistant before the Chauncey Billups gambling scandal, forcing Splitter into head coaching duties, in which he performed admirably.
The Trailblazers ended up making the playoffs, but with new ownership coming aboard, Splitter may be looking for a new team.
Similar to Sweeney, Splitter has a connection to the Mavericks organization, that being newly hired GM Mike Schmitz.
4. Jon Scheyer
The first unexpected name mentioned by Clark is current Duke head coach Jon Scheyer.
Scheyer has been the head coach at Duke for the last 4 years, and has amassed a record of 125-24; although, he has been unable to win a national championship.
Scheyer’s connection is obvious, as he has coached both Dereck Lively II and Cooper Flagg, who both have expressed their admiration for the Duke coach.
While it would be a surprise for the Mavericks to hire a college coach, it would make sense if the focus was to build around Flagg, as Scheyer is the one who both recruited and developed the young star.
5. Dawn Staley
The final, and most surprising name that Clark mentioned was current South Carolina Women’s head coach Dawn Staley.
Staley has coached the Gamecocks since 2008, and has become one of the greatest coaches in women’s college basketball history.
And an NBA move doesn’t seem impossible, as Staley interviewed for the Knicks head coaching job last year, with her remarking on a podcast that she “would have had to do it,” and that “It’s the New York Knicks”.
It remains to be seen if the Mavericks would actually offer her the job, but it seems that Masai Ujiri would have some interest in the possibilty.
