Mavericks are running out of time to sign their best option to replace Jason Kidd

The Dallas Mavericks parted ways with Jason Kidd nearly a month ago, and with one week remaining until the NBA Draft, the clock is ticking for them to find their next head coach. Dallas and the Portland Trail Blazers are the only two teams remaining without a head coach after the Chicago Bulls named Tiago Splitter their coach on Tuesday. If the Mavericks want Micah Nori as their head coach, they need to act quickly.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Nori is a finalist for the Trail Blazers' coaching vacancy along with Boston Celtics assistant coach Tyler Lashbrook. Nori is one of the Mavericks' "top candidate(s)," but if they really want him, they can't wait around. They probably have to give him an offer before Portland does.

The Mavericks need someone to rework their system around Cooper Flagg as they begin this new era, and Nori may be their best option. He has more experience than many of Dallas' other rumored candidates, and he is a great Xs-and-Os coach while also being a players' coach.

It's hard to find a head coach who brings both of these qualities, making him Dallas' best option to replace Kidd.

Micah Nori's success in Minnesota is impossible to ignore

Nori has been an assistant coach in the NBA for over 15 years and has been on Chris Finch's staff for the Minnesota Timberwolves for the last five seasons. He has played a key role in Minnesota and has helped them turn into one of the best teams in the Western Conference. Nori even took over for Finch during the 2024 NBA Playoffs after Finch suffered a knee injury, and he helped his team reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2004 that season.

They've made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, winning at least one series in the last three seasons. This is the first time in franchise history they've won at least one series in three straight playoff appearances, and this includes trips to the Western Conference Finals in 2024 and 2025.

Nori's time to become a head coach is now, and if he's Dallas' No. 1 option to replace Kidd, they should probably offer him before the Blazers do. He's more than ready to become a head coach, and the Mavericks should strike soon if they really want him.

Nori is the best fit for the Mavericks

While some of the other candidates to replace Kidd are intriguing, such as Royal Ivey and Terry Stotts, Nori is the best fit of the three. He has elite experience and already has relationships with Masai Ujiri, the Mavs' new president, and Jay Triano, one of the assistant coaches. His connection with Ujiri could ultimately help him land a job with Dallas.

Nori's time with the Toronto Raptors overlapped with Ujiri, and he is likely the most well-connected candidate to Ujiri. He also worked under Triano in Toronto.

While the connections aspect is certainly important, the reasoning that he's the best option to replace Kidd is because of his work on the floor. He is incredible schematically, and his relationships with his players are top-tier. Nori has risen through the coaching ranks in the NBA without playing any basketball beyond high school, and he seems like a great fit for what Dallas is trying to build.

They have the chance to start fresh with Cooper Flagg as the franchise cornerstone, and Nori would be a solid culture-setter and leader for this team as they try to retool and return to the NBA Playoffs for the first time since 2024. He also has experience working with two-way star Anthony Edwards with the Timberwolves, which should make it a smooth transition to coach and mentor Flagg.

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