With 15 days left before the NBA Draft officially begins, the Dallas Mavericks' offseason has started to heat up. Not only have other teams expressed who they will listen to for trade offers, but the New York Knicks' pursuit of Mavs head coach Jason Kidd has begun to steal headlines.
What began as a simple rumor has turned into a complete nightmare for fans. What's even more impressive is the Mavericks could end all of this banter by extending Kidd and reworking his contract, or simply telling the Knicks to back off after they formally ask for an interview with Kidd.
Regardless of how the Mavericks feel about Kidd, this is yet again another bad look for the franchise, just two weeks ahead of getting Cooper Flagg. To make matters worse for fans, if the Mavs do allow Kidd to leave, it would likely mean other coaches on the Dallas bench would leave for other jobs, and that includes Sean Sweeney.
Mavericks are in danger of losing Sean Sweeney to the Spurs
Since being hired alongside Kidd in the 2021 offseason, Sweeney has become a fan favorite due to his defensive-minded philosophy and ability to coach players. While Sweeney is one of the most sought-after assistant coaches around the league, he has managed to stay in Dallas alongside Kidd.
More recently, after the Phoenix Suns fired Mike Budenholzer, Sweeney's name rose in the ranks as a potential replacement for the Suns, but didn't make the final cut. While Sweeney will continue to be a sought-after assistant coach around the league, with the Knicks' pursuit of Kidd heating up, Sweeney may look to take his talents elsewhere.
According to Mark Stein of The Stein Line (subscription required), Sweeney has become a target for the San Antonio Spurs as they look to build around first-year head coach Mitch Johnson.
"League sources tell The Stein Line that the San Antonio Spurs, furthermore, have expressed strong interest in trying to hire Sweeney away from Dallas to work alongside new Spurs full-time head coach Mitch Johnson." Stein wrote.
While coaches have been at the forefront for Maverick fans, losing Sweeney to an in-state rival like San Antonio would feel like a complete gut punch. Sweeney has long been known for his defensive-minded philosophy, and seeing him coach against the Mavs is a sight fans don't want to see.
It's only a matter of time before Sweeney becomes a head coach, but losing him to the Spurs in a spot where he isn't getting promoted would be a bad look for Dallas. Assuming Kidd does pack his bags for New York, it may not be a bad thing for Sweeney if he isn't being considered for the head coaching job in Dallas, but regardless of the antics, losing Sweeney would be devastating.
With the Knicks and Kidd being a real possibility, Dallas needs to begin their head coaching search, and it may begin with Sweeney. Sweeney has proven he deserves to be a head coach in the NBA, and Dallas would be the perfect spot for him if he can deal with Nico Harrison.
While it's unclear how the Mavericks feel about Kidd potentially leaving, it's only a matter of time before the Mavs will need to start searching for a new head coach. Kidd's departure could be fueled by a number of reasons, including the Luka Doncic trade and everything that came along with that, which is why hiring Sweeney may not be the best for Harrison, but it's clear Sweeney is the most qualified for the job.
Sweeney will have multiple franchises calling his number if Kidd walks, and San Antonio may be the likeliest option of happening. Losing Sweeney would no doubt be a gut punch to fans, but if he walks, the Mavericks need to reshape their offseason approach.