Rick Carlisle Informs Mavericks He Won't Return for 2021-22 Season

Rick Carlisle's time in Dallas has come to an end after 13 seasons with the Mavericks.

Rick Carlisle informed the Mavericks on Thursday that he will not return to the organization for the 2021-22 season, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Carlisle had two years left on his contract after being Dallas's head coach for the last 13 seasons. 

"After a number of in-person conversations with Mark Cuban over the last week, today I informed him that I will not be returning as head coach," Carlisle said in a statement. "This was solely my decision." 

"Dallas will always be home, but I am excited about the next chapter of my coaching career." 

Rick Carlisle statement to ESPN: pic.twitter.com/zdKA8sWa4Y

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 17, 2021

Carlisle is one of the most decorated coaches of the 2000s, tallying 1,525 wins in 19 years with the Pistons, Pacers and Mavericks. Carlisle led the Mavericks to the playoffs nine times in 13 years, including a championship run in 2011. He is expected to be a "prominent candidate in a head coaching marketplace," per Wojnarowski. 

The Mavericks were eliminated from the first round of the 2021 playoffs in a Game 7 loss to the Clippers on June 6. An official list on candidates to replace Carlisle has not been announced, though Dallas star Luka Dončić is a "strong supporter of Mavs assistant coach Jamahl Mosley," per ESPN's Tim MacMahon. 

Dallas is one of seven teams with a head coaching vacancy, joining Boston, Indiana, New Orleans, Orlando, Portland and Washington.