Hoops Habit
Fansided

Dallas Mavericks: Extending Rick Carlisle Is A Power Move

By Cole Mentzel

Apr 8, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle watches his team take on the Phoenix Suns during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle watches his team take on the Phoenix Suns during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 107-104. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

According to many media outlets and first reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks and Rick Carlisle are nearing an a agreement on a new five-year contract extension to ensure he stays with the team. Carlisle is the third-highest tenured coach in the league since he’s been with the Mavs since May 2008.

He is one of only 11 individuals to win a championship as a player and a coach.

As the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, Carlisle has a record of 338-220. Over his seven seasons with the Mavs, the team has only missed the playoffs once, and they have finished with 50 wins in four different seasons.

ALSO ON HOOPSHABIT: 25 Best Players To Play For The Mavericks

Besides coaching them to a championship in 2011, his best coaching job came in 2012-13 when the Mavs finished 41-41 on the season and nearly made the playoffs while being led by Dirk Nowitzki, Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo.

To sum things up, his career with the Mavs has been incredible and he will go down as one of, if not the, greatest coaches in team history. His dynamics and basic understanding of the game make him one of the best in the NBA. As the president of the NBA Coaches Association, he also has respect among his fellow coaches.

Over the summer, Mark Cuban said the Mavs would’ve “taken a step back” if they had missed out on another big free agent. Shortly after that, DeAndre Jordan ditched the Mavs and decided to stay with the Clippers while breaking his commitment.

Speculation rose as to what the Mavs would do next and many thought they might tank. They even told Wesley Matthews that if he wanted to walk, he could, which was one sign that they might seriously be taking a step back.

During all of this, it would not have been surprising if  Carlisle would’ve bolted whenever he could. Carlisle does not seem like the kind of coach that would want to be around for a rebuilding phase and if the Mavs had gone that route, he very well could’ve left after the upcoming season since his current contract is set to end then.

More from Dallas Mavericks

Cuban getting this new five-year deal done with him is a big time move for the Dallas Mavericks organization. His success with the team is unmatched and it’s obvious that he is the reason why they have still stayed competitive during some of these rough periods over the last few seasons.

Another great part of this deal is that by making it for five years, it ensures that Rick Carlisle will be around during the post-Dirk era in Dallas, a period that could be rough if the Mavs aren’t able to attract a marquee free agent over the next few summers.

By keeping Carlisle though, the Mavs will always have that edge over the other teams in the running for big free agents. Any player in the league would love to play under a coach that is so good at using his players and getting the most out of them.

Overall, the Mavs and Cuban made a franchise-altering decision by keeping Carlisle. The agreement will enable the Mavs to focus on keeping key players and trying to get better instead of having to worry about a coaching situation.

Next: A Fast Start Would Benefit The Mavs

More from Hoops Habit

Home/Dallas Mavericks