Mavericks' hidden edge in their GM search is much bigger than it seems

The Dallas Mavericks are big game hunting, but not for their next star player. Instead, they’re searching for a general manager to help right the ship after firing Nico Harrison earlier this season. Dallas has reportedly shown interest in several of the NBA’s top front-office minds, including the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Sam Presti. However, a more realistic target may be former Golden State Warriors executive Bob Myers.

While Myers is currently serving as president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), his prior connection with Mavericks CEO Rick Welts makes him a particularly compelling candidate, one Dallas may actually have a chance to pry away.

Aside from Presti, Dallas is reportedly interested in Brad Stevens and R.C. Buford. But here’s the problem: all three have built 50-plus-win teams. Why leave those situations for Dallas? There isn’t a good reason. Myers, however, is a different case entirely.

Myers and Welts' championship duo Dallas should look to reunite

Myers entered the Warriors' front office in 2011 after an accomplished career as a sports agent. His arrival in Golden State came just months before Rick Welts became team president, marking the start of a partnership that would prove highly successful.

The duo oversaw a rapid ascent, transforming a franchise that made the postseason just once from 1995 to 2010 into a four-time champion, with titles in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.

Along the way, Golden State drafted Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, Jordan Poole, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga; signed Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant; and traded for Andrew Wiggins — moves that helped deliver four championships in less than a decade.

Welts eventually stepped down as president, transitioning into an advisory role before officially departing the organization in 2024. Myers, meanwhile, stepped away a year earlier, pivoting to broadcasting with ESPN from 2023 to 2025.

Yet while Welts landed with the Mavericks later that same year, Myers has yet to return to an NBA front office. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment owns the Philadelphia 76ers, but Myers operates at a broader level, advising across the company’s portfolio, including the New Jersey Devils and Washington Commanders.

Why Dallas makes sense as Bob Myers’ next home

It wouldn’t be surprising if Myers eyes a return to the NBA, and the Mavericks may be his best opportunity. Dallas offers a franchise cornerstone in Cooper Flagg, an owner determined to revive a once-proud fanbase, and a city fully invested in the turnaround.

Myers may not have drafted Curry, but guiding a team built around Flagg is a familiar challenge. Golden State wasn’t as strong when he arrived, yet a young superstar was already in place, and he helped turn that foundation into a dynasty. Dallas has the same potential

Welts is the Mavericks' secret sauce to landing Myers

The real edge for Dallas isn’t just Flagg’s potential or the roster, it’s Welts. As the Mavericks CEO, he brings a history of collaboration with Myers dating back to their championship run in Golden State. That relationship could be the deciding factor, transforming a high-profile GM search from a gamble into a calculated move.

If the Mavericks can leverage Welts’ influence to bring Myers back into the NBA, Dallas could turn a tricky front-office search into a masterclass in strategic hiring. It’s a rare alignment: a young franchise cornerstone in Flagg, an owner and CEO willing to invest and take calculated risks, and a proven executive who knows how to build champions. Landing Myers wouldn’t just fill a GM vacancy. It could set the stage for the next era of Mavericks basketball.