Mavericks' GM search collapses at worst possible time

Editor's note: This was written before the Dallas Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri to be their new Team President and Alternate Governor.

The Minnesota Timberwolves’ improbable run to the Western Conference Semifinals is already creating ripple effects beyond the Twin Cities. According to Marc Stein, there’s “growing resignation” within the Dallas Mavericks that they won’t be granted permission to interview Tim Connelly, who just so happens to be their top front office target.

Timberwolves' success complicates the Mavericks' GM search

Without the ability to interview Connelly, who will be tied up with the Timberwolves through at least May 10 (and longer if Minnesota wins at least one game), the Mavericks are back to the drawing board in their search for a lead decision-maker ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery and Combine.

It’s the latest complication in what has been a disjointed search by the Mavericks for a new lead decision-maker. First came majority owner Patrick Dumont prioritizing head coach Jason Kidd in the process, followed by Dumont taking a hands-on role in the search himself, and now a narrow focus on Connelly, who's a candidate they may not even get the chance to interview.

The Mavericks’ front office search is off to a rocky start, and it’s a situation that has been building for months. Since the November 11 dismissal of Nico Harrison, Dallas has known it needed a new general manager, but the process has produced little tangible progress. In the interim, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have helped steer operations.

Mavericks' GM search has been in limbo for months

Now, with the NBA Draft Lottery just days away, the Mavericks’ front office search has dragged on as Dumont continues to pursue a more splashy hire, with Connelly and former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers among the targets, per Stein.

Yet time is ticking. While adding a name like Connelly is all well and good, the Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations is widely viewed as an unlikely option for Dallas, given his role in reshaping a franchise that has risen into contention under his leadership. Minnesota, in turn, is expected to place a strong emphasis on keeping him in place.

Myers presents a different profile entirely, currently working with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment in an executive role overseeing multiple sports properties, while remaining based on the West Coast. However, there's not much of a reason, if any, for Myers to depart that role.

Few realistic Mavericks GM options remain

So where does that leave the Mavericks? Well… the outlook is increasingly uncertain. Beyond aforementioned targets like Connelly and Myers, Dallas has been loosely linked to established executives such as Sam Presti of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics, and R.C. Buford of the San Antonio Spurs. However, those names are largely theoretical rather than realistic options.

With Connelly effectively out of the picture, the Mavericks’ front office search has stalled — largely of their own making. Dallas has known for months that it needed a lead executive, yet the process has produced little momentum. As it stands, the most stable option may be to retain Finley and Riccardi, who could ultimately represent the organization’s most practical path forward, regardless of preference for a more headline-grabbing hire.

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