The Dallas Mavericks are still searching for their next head coach, and were recently denied the right to interview one of the best in the business.
For many reasons, being the next head coach of the Dallas Mavericks should be an attractive position to hold.
For starters, there's the chance to build with Cooper Flagg, one of the best two-way young players the league has ever seen. On top of that, Dallas has the ninth overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, allowing more young talent to join the roster.
Finally, the Mavericks have a long runway. New team president Masai Ujiri is expected to be patient as Dallas rebuilds, meaning the new coach will have a few seasons before he's on "the hot seat."
Dallas has been linked to the likes of Sean Sweeney, Jon Scheyer, and Dawn Staley. However, Sweeney took the Orlando Magic job, and there are no concrete signs pointing to Scheyer or Staley wanting to jump to the NBA.
Instead, the Mavericks will liklley look for an established NBA head coach. One of the better ones will not be made aviliable.
76ers Reject Nick Nurse Interview Request
Nick Nurse is widely regarded as one of the better coaches in the NBA. He won a title with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 before heading to the Philadelphia 76ers. In Philly, he was on the hot seat, although getting them past the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs gave him some security.
Nurse and Ujiri worked together in Toronto, finding great success. However, in 2023, after the Raptors missed the playoffs, Ujiri fired him. Perhaps that's just water under the bridge, but they won't be working together again in 2026.
“While he was with the Toronto Raptors, Ujiri was never afraid to target assistant coaches or first-time head coaches, as he did with Nick Nurse and Darko Rajakovic," reported ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. "Speaking of Nurse, some have mentioned his name as an intriguing candidate in Dallas, but the Philadelphia 76ers are not prepared to grant the Mavs permission to speak with their head coach should they reach out, sources said.”
To Mavericks' fans, that should sound familiar. Last summer, the New York Knicks asked for permission to interview Jason Kidd to replace Tom Thibodeau. Dallas said no, the Knicks hired Mike Brown, and just made their first Finals appearance since 1999. Kidd, meanwhile, is out of a job.
Nurse has a rich track record of getting the best out of Kawhi Leonard, developing OG Anunoby, and turning Pascal Siakam into a star. All of those players have similar styles to Flagg, so bringing him in while Flagg is young and moldable makes plenty of sense.
However, as long as Nurse is under contract in the City of Brotherly Love, the Mavericks will have to look elsewhere.
