2 Early Names Reported as Candidates for Dallas Mavericks Head Coach Opening

The Dallas Mavericks are searching for a new head coach after mutually parting ways with Jason Kidd. The move comes after a new front office was put in place, led by team president and alternate governor Masai Ujiri, who takes sole responsibility for this change.

Ujiri said he had not talked to anyone about the opening as of yesterday's press conference, as he didn't want to be disrespectful toward Jason Kidd. However, they are on a time crunch to find the perfect candidate if they want someone in place before the NBA Draft on June 23rd. They also have to compete with three other teams looking for a new coach as well: the Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trail Blazers.

This is expected to be an open and comprehensive search, as Ujiri wants to leave no stone unturned. He made two hires with the Toronto Raptors, Nick Nurse and Darko Rajaković. Nurse was an assistant with the Raptors and won a championship in his first season as the head coach. Rajaković had been an assistant elsewhere in the NBA. Ujiri is not afraid to make a hire with no experience if he deems it to be the right fit.

Team governor Patrick Dumont wants to take big swings and chase big names, though. Will that culminate in this coaching search? Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints has offered two names that the Mavs are expected to show interest in: Sean Sweeney and Jon Scheyer.

Dec 2, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs assistant head coach Sean Sweeney signals to players during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

What to Know About Sean Sweeney and Jon Scheyer

Sean Sweeney is the assistant head coach for the San Antonio Spurs, but he had been an assistant coach in Dallas for years before that. He helped Dallas turn into a dominant defense in the 2024 playoff run, and has overseen a 28-win improvement from the Spurs this year, who ended up winning 62 games.

Sweeney has seen a lot of interest in openings this year, as he's a candidate for both the Magic and Bulls. He still has a lot of supporters within the Mavericks, and he's already a little familiar with the ownership group.

Jon Scheyer is the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, and there was some thought he might explore a jump to the NBA this offseason, but that didn't end up happening. He coached Cooper Flagg and Dereck Lively II at the college level, and was a player there the year before Kyrie Irving showed up on campus. That would give him a lot of familiarity with the team already.

However, Siegel also reported that it's unlikely Scheyer considers the position, as he's committed to his role at Duke, which is arguably the best job in college basketball.

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