Rick Carlisle Leaving Dallas Mavericks After 13 Seasons

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, longtime head coach Rick Carlisle has parted ways with the Dallas Mavericks after 13 seasons with the team.

He leaves the Mavericks with a regular season record of 555-478 and a postseason record of 33-38, which includes nine playoff appearances and a championship (2011).

Rick Carlisle — who led Dallas to the 2011 NBA championship — informed Mavericks owner Mark Cuban today that he won't be returning as coach next season, Carlisle told ESPN. Carlisle had two years left on his contract. He spent 13 seasons as Mavericks coach.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 17, 2021

In a statement to ESPN, Carlisle would write:

“After a number of in-person conversations with Mark Cuban over the last week, today I informed him that I will not be returning as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. This was solely my decision.”

Carlisle’s decision comes a day after former Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson stepped down from the role after 24 years with the organization, a byproduct of Bob Voulgaris, Dallas’ director of quantitative research and development.

With Carlisle’s decision to leave the Mavericks franchise, many questions loom and most center on the playing future of superstar point guard Luka Doncic.

Doncic, currently in Slovenia with his national team, would say that Nelson’s decision was “tough for [him] seeing that.”

Luka Doncic, from Slovenia with his national team, on Donnie Nelson's Mavericks exit:

"It was kind of tough to me. I really like Donnie. I know him since I was a kid and he was the one that drafted me. It was tough for me seeing that, but I'm not the one making decisions there."

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 17, 2021

As the 22-year-old reportedly has a strained relationship with Voulgaris, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that Dallas’ inability to retain Nelson or Carlisle could either generate or expedite a trade request.

Doncic is one of the league’s preeminent talents and will be on the final season of his rookie contract in 2021-22 should he choose not to sign a supermax extension with the Mavericks. However, as of now, all signs point to Doncic signing the supermax.

Luka Doncic smiles widely when asked if he plans to sign a supermax extension this summer: “I think you know the answer.”

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 7, 2021

In addition, Doncic’s relationship with Carlisle appeared lukewarm at best. It’s possible that his decision to leave the Mavericks organization could help soothe potential tensions with the face of the franchise.

For Carlisle, his search for a new home couldn’t have come at a better time with six other franchises looking for a new head coach to prowl the sidelines: the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans.

While the Celtics are focused on hiring a Black coaching candidate, per Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, Carlisle may feel at home with another potential playoff contender, such as the Washington Wizards or Portland Trail Blazers.