In an unexpected move — considering the fact he just got extended by ownership last summer and was still owed $40 million — Jason Kidd is out as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Who takes his place? Who is the next head coach in Dallas?
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Kidd’s exit — as well as that of other members of the scouting, analytics and front office staff in a house-cleaning — was orchestrated by new team president Masai Ujiri. He has established that this is going to be his franchise, run his way, with his people. And we have seen Ujiri hire two coaches before, both in Toronto: Nick Nurse (2018) and Darko Rajaković (2023). Neither was a head coach before, although both had some experience as head coaches in the G League or internationally, and both were seen as rising stars. As ESPN’s Tim MacMahon put it on The Hoop Collective Podcast, Ujiri is looking for the “next great coach,” not a retread. So who are the names to watch?
Sean Sweeney
Sweeney is still busy as an assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the San Antonio Spurs, but he’s also a name mentioned by ESPN’s MacMahon and Marc Stein of the Stein Line.
Sweeney is seen as one of the top assistant coaches in the league and at or near the front of the “he should get a chance” line. He also has ties to the Dallas Mavericks, having been on Kidd’s staff between 2021 and 2025. Sweeney is reportedly on the list of coaches the Chicago Bulls want to talk to about their open head coaching position — but thanks to Cooper Flagg, Dallas would be a much more appealing job.
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Micah Nori
The longtime assistant coach has been Chris Finch’s right-hand man in Minnesota for the past five years. Nori is also at the front of the line for assistants who have interviewed for other jobs and deserve a shot somewhere.
Stein mentions Nori along with Sweeney as guys seen as around the league as potentially being star head coaches somewhere.
Billy Donovan
While it goes against Ujiri’s pattern in past hires, Donovan is a proven NBA coach with a strong reputation and is the best and biggest name on the market, and Donovan has to at least be considered. Along those same lines, James Borrego — the former Hornets coach who did a respectable job stepping in as the interim coach in New Orleans last season — could get a look.
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Donovan walked away from the Chicago Bulls this summer, saying he wanted to coach meaningful games for a team that is thinking playoffs, and ideally a deep playoff run. It’s why he’s considered the frontrunner in Orlando. Dallas, with Cooper Flagg, presents that same kind of opportunity, the chance to help build and be part of something lasting. Donovan at least has to be a name to watch.