Rick Carlisle Endorses Jason Kidd As Next Mavs Coach

Former Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle made it clear that Jason Kidd would be his pick to fill the team's vacancy.

Grant Afseth | Jun 24, 2021

DALLAS - While the Dallas Mavericks still are focused on making front office hires, former head coach Rick Carlisle has since joined the Indiana Pacers to become their next head coach.

When talking to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, Rick Carlisle made it clear that his hope is for Jason Kidd to be the next head coach of the Mavericks.

Carlisle explained how Luka Doncic and Kidd share many things in common as players in terms of 'special qualities.' As a result, Carlisle feels as though it would be a 'great marriage.'

"It's hard to put an exact finger on it. It’s just a feeling that I had that it would be mutually beneficial. My hope is that Jason Kidd will be the next coach of the Mavs because he and Luka have so many things in common as players."

"I just think that it would be a great situation for Luka, and I think it would be an amazing situation for Jason. I’m the only person on the planet that’s coached both of those guys and that knows about all of their special qualities as basketball players."

"To me, that just would be a great marriage, but that’s just an opinion."

It's well known that Kidd is well received as a head coaching candidate by team owner Mark Cuban and now 'special advisor' Dirk Nowitzki. With Nowitzki providing input in the search, it's an important element to take note of.

There is an expectation that assistant coach Jamahl Mosley will receive consideration from the Mavericks for the head coaching job. An extensive list of potential candidates has yet to surface.

Kidd has a 183-190 regular-season record during his head coaching career with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. He has since been a member of a championship-winning coaching staff as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Published Jun 24, 2021

GRANT AFSETH

Grant Afseth is a Dallas Mavericks reporter for MavericksGameday.com and an NBA reporter for NBA Analysis Network. He previously covered the Indiana Pacers and NBA for CNHI's Kokomo Tribune and various NBA teams for USA TODAY Sports Media Group. Follow him on Twitter (@grantafseth), Facebook (@grantgafseth), and YouTube (@grantafseth). You can reach Grant at grantafseth35@gmail.com.