Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks decided to part ways with Jason Kidd, per ESPN's Shams Charania. He has four years and over $40 million left on his contract.
The Hall of Fame point guard registered a 205-205 record in his five seasons at the helm. The franchise missed the playoffs three times during his tenure. However, Kidd also matched Rick Carlisle's club record, with his teams winning five postseason series. That's the most by a head coach in the organization's history. That includes a run to the 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost in five games to the Boston Celtics.
It's the latest step in the Mavericks' makeover since trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in what has already gone down as one of the most infamous trades in sports history. The fact that the deal happened one season ago and that statement isn't hyperbole is quite the feat.
That and the public outcry in Dallas in the aftermath of a trade that felt like a betrayal of its fan base explains why the franchise has remade its front office. The decision to bring in Masai Ujiri as the new head of basketball operations led to Kidd's ousting, despite how much money the team will be paying him not to work for them.
Celtics' coach Sam Cassell is an intriguing option for the Mavericks
It's unclear what direction Ujiri wants to go in as he searches for Kidd's replacement. Two widely regarded assistant coaches, who are among the next in line for their first opportunity as an NBA bench boss, are Sean Sweeney and Micah Nori. Both have ties to the organization or Ujiri.
Sweeney was the lead assistant on Kidd's staff for the first four years the latter was at the helm in Dallas. He left to become the associate head coach of the San Antonio Spurs this season. Nori and Ujiri worked together while the Mavericks' new president of basketball operations was running the Toronto Raptors. Nori is currently a member of Chris Finch's staff with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, another intriguing option is Sam Cassell. The former All-Star had a 15-year playing career that included three NBA championships. He has now been an assistant coach for 17 seasons. He has certainly paid his dues.
Cassell's work in this chapter of his life includes helping the Celtics raise Banner 18 to the rafters that overlook the parquet at TD Garden. He has helped oversee the development of young NBA stars. That list ranges from Jayson Tatum to Tyrese Maxey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and John Wall.
And despite not getting his opportunity to slide into the A chair yet, Cassell hasn't given up on that pursuit.
"Hopefully, it happens for me. I would like to have an opportunity to coach one of these teams, but the enjoyment I get from being a coach in basketball is seeing young men, when they are first getting in the league, and their progress in life is becoming good basketball players, becoming family men, and becoming fathers. That's the part I enjoy," Cassell told Hardwood Houdini in February.
"The coaching thing, I would love to have an opportunity to do it. I'm striving for it because I still love this. I wouldn't do it if I didn't love it at all. I love this. I love what I'm doing. I always have a smile on my face. I'm just upbeat. I enjoy being a part of the Association, especially being part of the Boston Celtics."
In April, before Boston earned a 113-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets, Charles Lee, the latter's head coach, said it was an honor to work with Cassell during the Celtics' run to the 2023-24 NBA title. He also offered a deeper understanding of the impact his former colleague has.
"Sam, he brought joy; he brought a knowledge for what it takes to win,"Â said Lee. "I think that he has a great way of being able to connect with the players and explain to them what's necessary of them to win at the highest levels. And they respect him. I respected him. It was great to be able to watch how he works, and how he interacts, and how he communicates."
Ujiri may have fired Kidd with candidates in mind. That would be the sensible approach. He may already have an option he believes is the favorite for the job. However, Cassell's experiences and his track record working with stars, including Tatum, another burgeoning forward from Duke, could make him an outstanding option to work with Cooper Flagg. At a minimum, it would be a mistake for Ujiri not to interview him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google