The Dallas Mavericks are in an awkward position as a franchise. Dirk Nowitzki, their againg star, is slowly making his way out of the league, and the Mavericks don’t exactly have a concrete way to replace him. However, they have at least one thing going for them: a staple in the head coaching spot.
According of Marc Stein of ESPN, head coach Rick Carlisle and the Mavericks have agreed to a five-year, $35 million contract extension.
This deal comes on top of the two years he has remaining on his current contract, which gives him seven more years (barring a termination) as the head coach in Dallas.
ESPN sources say Carlisle will see out this season & team option Mavs held for next season before new deal takes him through 2021-22 season
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 5, 2015
Carlisle has been the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks since May 2008. He was a TV analyst who had prior coaching stops with the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. He won the NBA championship with the Mavs in 2011, and won Coach of the Year in 2002. He has posted a 340-222 record as the head coach of the Mavericks, and they have only missed the playoffs in one of his seven seasons.
The deal pays Carlisle about $7 million per year, the highest for any NBA coach who does not also perform executive duties. He is the third longest-tenured coach in the NBA presently, a testament to the good relationship he has maintained with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.
This is a smart move for Dallas. While Carlisle is not a perfect coach and has a history of struggling with his point guards, he has a reputation and record as a great coach.
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The Mavericks have experienced chaotic roster turnover in recent years, and will likely continue to be in that position in the post-Dirk era. it is unclear how Carlisle will manage a developing roster, but he has done a lot for the franchise and has certainly earned this money.