Nuggets aiming to hire Mavericks icon & assistant coach to staff

Two Mavericks could soon be on their way to Denver.

Apr 29, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets interim head coach David Adelman during the second half against the LA Clippers during game five of the first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It's getting hard to keep track of all of the assistant coaches the Dallas Mavericks have lost in the last few months. It might not be stopping anytime soon, either.

Since February, the Mavericks have lost Slovenian native Marko Milic due to the Luka Doncic trade, Alex Jensen to the University of Utah, Darrell Armstrong after an aggravated assault charge, and lead assistant Sean Sweeney to the San Antonio Spurs to be their associate head coach.

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Feb 8, 2020; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea (5) warms up prior to the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images | Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Jared Dudley, who is Jason Kidd's third assistant, seems like the next name to be poached. He's already interviewed with the Memphis Grizzlies, has drawn interest from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and now he's secured an interview with the Denver Nuggets, per NBA insider Marc Stein. He also had a head coaching interview with the Phoenix Suns, but they went in a different direction.

He's not the only one the Nuggets are looking at, as Stein also reported that they're interested in bringing on JJ Barea, the former Mavericks guard who was a big part of the 2011 team that secured the championship against the Miami Heat. People to this day still talk about then-head coach Rick Carlisle having Barea guard LeBron James and it actually working because it basically broke James' brain.

Barea has been the head coach of a few teams in his home country of Puerto Rico, and has also been a player development coach with the Mavericks in 2021. It would hurt Mavs fans to see Barea working for another team, just like it hurt them when he was allowed to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves in free agency after the championship. He returned eventually and was an extremely valuable veteran on the bench.

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