Dallas May Have Hired Rick Carlisle

There's a report this morning -- backed up by an NBA TV talking head last night -- saying Rick Carlisle has been chosen as the next coach of the Dallas Mavericks. We'd accept this as fact if the source weren't Peter Vescey, who in the past week has retracted a column and errantly reported Derrick Coleman needs a heart transplant.

Vescey reports in the New York Post that Carlisle has interviewed with the Knicks on Wednesday, but has since wowed Mark Cuban and Donnie Nelson down in Big D. Vescey parroted the same report on NBA TV's postgame festivities last night (via HoopsHype). ESPN.com's Marc Stein (the most plugged-in national reporter when it comes to Dallas) offers Carlisle only as a favorite in the job hunt, one of five candidates Cuban will consider. The Dallas Morning News, for its part, have nothing on the potential hire.

My only concern for the Mavs here: You need some creativity on offense, right? You need a coach who will, at the very least, turn the reins over to Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki and let the points fly, yes? Carlisle spent four seasons in Indiana; here are the Pacers' ranks in leaguewide offensive efficiency each of those seasons, chronologically: 9th, 18th, 21st, 30th. Yep, worst offense in the league in 2006-07. What did Jim O'Brien do with basically the same roster in 2007-08? 19th in the league.

Carlisle can coach defense, and he's not likely to grate on Kidd like Avery Johnson did. But this sure as heck doesn't seem like your typical magical elixir.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

5-03-2008 @ 11:04AM

Ryne Nelson said...

You're right, Tom. A new coach almost never is the answer for a struggling team. Even Phil Jackson couldn't bring the a weak team like the Grizzlies to the playoffs next season. A team is only as good as it's players.

5-03-2008 @ 11:52AM

frank said...

Nor they can bring Minny with KG for 12 years in the line up;
Nor they never got a ring with Ewing with the Knicks in 11 years with a super cast.
And it took MJ 8 years to get his 1st ring .

5-03-2008 @ 12:23PM

fish said...

Rick's The Pick
DB.com Reports: Mavs Choose Carlisle

Rick Carlisle will be the next head coach of the Mavericks, DallasBasketball.com has learned.
"It's very safe to say it's going to happen,'' a source told us late Friday. "Rick's the guy.''
Carlisle, 49, coached the Pistons from 2001-03, going 100-64 an earning 2001-02 NBA Coach of the Year honors. In four ensuing seasons with Indiana, Carlisle was 181-147.
More to come throughout the day, including our addressing of some details of the deal and what Carlisle brings to Dallas - strengths, weaknesses, baggage and accomplishments, item-by-item. …
MORE INFO COMING AT DALLASBASKETBALL.COM

Goldie1138 said...

He had the 9th ranked offensive team in the league with his best players being Jermaine O'neal and Artest.. just imagine what he could do with Dirk and Kidd..

The good news, though, is that ANY coach will look like D'Antoni or Nellie compared to Avery. Avery had zero offensive system.. and even less defense. All the coaches not named Phil Jackson and Popovich are flawed anyway.