Dusty May, the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, is making waves as he sets the foundation for his coaching staff. With a keen eye for seasoned NBA coaches, May is reportedly considering some impressive names to join him on the sidelines. Notably, former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green and former Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin are in the mix, according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.
Willie Green, who recently wrapped up a stint with the Pelicans, is a hot commodity. He’s been linked with a potential return to the Golden State Warriors under Steve Kerr, yet the Mavericks are also vying for his expertise.
Green's tenure in New Orleans saw him lead the team to the playoffs in 2022 after a triumphant Play-In Tournament, and he managed a respectable 42-40 record in the 2022-23 season despite a slew of injuries. However, a rocky start to the 2025-26 season led to his departure.
Adrian Griffin, another seasoned coach, made his mark as an NBA assistant before stepping into a head coaching role with the Bucks in the 2023-24 season. He began his tenure with a bang, guiding Milwaukee to an impressive 30-13 start. Despite this early success, the Bucks opted for a mid-season change, parting ways with Griffin.
Should May succeed in bringing Green and Griffin on board, the Mavericks would gain a wealth of NBA knowledge and experience. This move could be crucial as May transitions from college coaching to the NBA, aiming to elevate the Mavericks' performance in the fiercely competitive Western Conference. With such potential additions, May's staff could be poised to make a significant impact in the upcoming season.
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Mavericks Make Early Free Agency Move Cooper Flagg Fans Will Love
Ryan Nembhard gave the Mavericks enough as a rookie to make himself part of the conversation going forward, and Dallas moved early to make sure he stays in the picture. The guard appeared in 60 games and made 27 starts, averaging 6.6 points and 5.3 assists while showing enough steadiness for the front office to keep him in the fold.
For a team that still has work to do around its young core, securing Nembhard now lets Dallas move on to the rest of free agency without worrying about another rotation piece drifting away. It also keeps a backcourt option on the board through the 2026-27 season, which matters for a roster trying to build some continuity as it adds more talent around Cooper Flagg. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks May Have A Bigger Frontcourt Decision Than Fans Realize
With free agency set to open June 30 and contracts officially starting July 6, the Mavericks are sorting through a frontcourt picture that looks a little more complicated than it did a few weeks ago. Dallas is building around Cooper Flagg and has four unrestricted free agents to consider, but Marvin Bagley III is the name that could force the toughest conversation among them.
Bagley gave the Mavericks a usable stretch after coming over from Washington, and that kind of frontcourt depth matters when a team is trying to stabilize its roster heading into a pivotal summer. The problem is that Dallas may not be eager to chase the kind of contract Bagley can find on the open market, especially with other center priorities already on the books and several teams likely to take a look. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Kawhi Leonard Buzz Comes With Two Massive Red Flags
The Mavericks have been floated as a possible landing spot if the Clippers ever decided to listen on Kawhi Leonard, with some chatter around a package built from P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson and draft capital. It is the sort of star-chasing speculation that naturally follows Dallas around, especially when a player of Leonards caliber enters the conversation and the front office has to be mentioned by default.
For now, though, the buzz comes with plenty of caution tape. NBA insider Jake Fischer has said Dallas is not viewed as a plausible destination at this stage, and he added that the league has not yet indicated it would stop a Leonard deal outright. Even so, the combination of the trade cost and the questions surrounding Leonards long-term future makes this feel more like background noise than a real path forward, at least until the market tells a different story. [Read more 🡒]