Stein’s Latest: Reaves, Pistons, Bulls, Raptors, Mavs
The Lakers are still trying to find the right balance of players to put around star Luka Doncic, and they have an important offseason ahead of them, with Austin Reaves and LeBron James both on track unrestricted free agency.
Signs seem to be pointing to the Lakers retaining Reaves, according to Marc Stein of the Stein Line (subscriber link). Stein highlights the developing partnership between the 28-year-old guard and Doncic, writing that the Lakers appear to view the duo as the cornerstone combination they’ll build the team around.
While one report indicated that the Nets could offer Reaves a max contract and that the Pistons may have interest in him as a shooter and ball-handler next to Cade Cunningham, Stein notes that there is a sense the Nets would rather give out short-term deals if they decide to be aggressive in free agency. As for the Pistons, they seem more likely to look to fill the holes in their roster via trade than via free agency, Stein writes, so as not to risk complicating their cap situation ahead of Jalen Duren‘s restricted free agency and Ausar Thompson‘s next contract.
We have more news from around the NBA:
- There are still three teams without a head coach, but that is expected to change soon. Stein reports that the Bulls could choose their next head coach as soon as Monday. As Stein and Jake Fischer reported earlier this week, Micah Nori (Wolves), Tiago Splitter (Blazers), Ryan Schmidt (Hawks), and Wes Unseld Jr. (Bulls) are considered the four finalists for the position.
- The Raptors quietly interviewed former Mavericks president Donnie Nelson as well as Toronto’s former Coach of the Year Dwane Casey last year during their front office search that eventually led to the hiring of Bobby Webster, who was recently extended, Stein reveals, while confirming previous rumors that head coach Darko Rajakovic is expected to be extended sooner rather than later. Stein also notes that Patrick Engelbrecht, Toronto’s director of global scouting and international affairs, could end up reuniting with Mavs president Masai Ujiri as Ujiri continues to build out Dallas’ new-look front office.
- The Mavericks are moving forward with their search for a head coach and reportedly held interviews throughout this weekend. As has previously been reported, the list of Mavs candidates includes Nori, Royal Ivey (Rockets), Jama Mahlalela (Raptors), Tony Dobbins (Celtics), and former Blazers coach Terry Stotts.
And-Ones: TIME List, Flight Risks, Option Dates, Power Rankings
Lakers superstar LeBron James tops TIME’s 2026 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Sports. The four-time MVP isn’t the only person affiliated with the NBA on the list, as Victor Wembanyama, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, Cooper Flagg, Stephen Curry, Mavericks president Masai Ujiri and Shams Charania of ESPN are also present.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report lists his 10 biggest “flight risks” — the players most likely to change teams — in free agency. Four Lakers — Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and James — are on Pincus’ list, as are Heat forward Andrew Wiggins and Sixers guard Quentin Grimes. Wiggins ($30.2MM) and Ayton ($8.1MM) both hold player options for 2026/27.
- While most player and team option decisions for next season are due by June 29, in some cases the deadlines are a little sooner, notes Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints (Twitter link). Trae Young (Wizards) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Grizzlies), for example, have until June 23 to decide whether they want to pick up their lucrative player options, while the Clippers have until June 26 to determine what to do with their $16MM option on Bogdan Bogdanovic.
- Ten ESPN insiders have voted on their power rankings for 2026/27, with the Thunder, Spurs, Knicks, Celtics and Pistons comprising the top five. The Kings, Nets and Wizards are at the bottom end of the rankings.
Mavericks Notes: Finley, Nori, Pre-Draft Workouts
After the Mavericks hired Masai Ujiri as their new president and Mike Schmitz to be their general manager, word broke that Matt Riccardi, who served as the team’s co-interim GM during the 2025/26 season, would be leaving the organization. There have been no such updates on Michael Finley, who was the Mavs’ other co-interim GM following Nico Harrison‘s dismissal in the fall.
Finley spent nearly nine years in Dallas as a player and has been part of the club’s front office since 2017. Minority stakeholder Mark Cuban, the majority owner of the team when Finley was originally hired, hopes the former guard’s stint in the basketball operations department continues — and has said as much to Ujiri.
“(Finley) is our legacy guy,” Cuban said during a special episode of the House of Haymaker show with Ben Rogers and Jeff “Skin” Wade. “You need somebody there that’s a connection to the past and knows everybody, that has been there a while. … My strong recommendation (to Ujiri) is that you keep Michael Finley.”
According to Cuban, Ujiri didn’t commit one way or the other to his plans for Finley and the rest of the front office.
“(He) just said, ‘Thank you,’ and that was it,” Cuban said.
Cuban also spoke during his House of Haymaker appearance about the Luka Doncic trade – which he said Finley called “the wrong thing to do” – and the fact that Dirk Nowitzki “didn’t agree with” the 2021 hiring of Harrison, among other topics.
We have more on the Mavericks:
- Appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio on Tuesday, Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori said he hadn’t “heard anything really” from the Mavericks about their head coaching opening so far, but had engaged in “a few conversations here and there” with the Trail Blazers and Bulls, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. Although Nori added that his discussions with those teams hadn’t gotten “too serious” at that point, one report today suggested he’s a finalist for Portland’s head coaching job and that Dallas also has interest in interviewing him.
- Obi Agbim (Baylor), Michael Ajayi (Butler), Christian Anderson (Texas Tech), Tucker DeVries (Indiana), and Wyatt Fricks (Marshall) were in town on Wednesday to work out for the Mavericks, according to Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). Of those five players, Anderson is the most noteworthy — he’s a projected first-round pick who ranks 18th overall on ESPN’s big board.
- The Mavericks are currently armed with the ninth, 30th, and 48th overall picks in this month’s draft. In an effort to get a better sense for which players the team might be eyeing at those spots, Curtis (subscription required) takes a closer look at Ujiri’s draft history during his time in Denver and Toronto. Based on those past draft results, Curtis writes that Ujiri has shown a willingness to take a shot on versatile wings who can score and defend, as well as international prospects and score-first guards.
Sixers Eyeing Four ‘Main Candidates’ In Front Office Search
While a variety of names have been linked to the Sixers as they look for a new president of basketball operations, the team is currently eyeing four “main candidates,” according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link): Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey, Timberwolves GM Matt Lloyd, Phoenix Mercury GM Nick U’Ren and 76ers assistant GM Jameer Nelson.
Despite technically being No. 3 in command in 2025/26, Nelson is the only internal candidate Philadelphia is considering to replace Daryl Morey, Stein reports, and even if he doesn’t become the Sixers’ new head of basketball operations, the former NBA guard is viewed as a lock to be promoted to general manager “at worst.”
After Stein reported on May 17 that Nelson was a candidate for an “expanded role” following Morey’s ouster and Jake Fischer confirmed that Nelson has many supporters within the organization, Tony Jones of The Athletic reported last week that Nelson is a legitimate candidate to become the 76ers’ next president of basketball operations.
Stein reiterates in his latest story that Nelson has been “all but assured of a significant role going forward” regardless of whether or not he lands the top job.
There have been rumblings that current GM Elton Brand might be offered a new position within the 76ers once the Bob Myers-led search is complete, Stein adds, but for now he continues to scout ahead of June’s draft. The Sixers control the 22nd pick in the 2026 draft.
League sources tell The Stein Line that the 76ers are optimistic about their chances of retaining VP of player personnel Prosper Karangwa, who has drawn external interest from the Lakers and Mavericks. Los Angeles has been granted permission to speak to Karangwa about an assistant GM opening, Stein reports.
Although the Mavs have not yet issued their own request to speak to Karangwa, they’re expected to do so, according to Stein, who confirms that new president Masai Ujiri is also expected to register interest in hiring away his longtime Raptors colleague Patrick Engelbrecht. Engelbrecht is Toronto’s director of global scouting.
Latest On Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Heat and Celtics are believed to be atop Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s current list of desired trade destinations, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
While Miami has long coveted the Bucks superstar and will likely have “substantive” talks with Milwaukee about a possible deal, Stein say’s it’s not certain how Boston feels about a potential franchise-altering trade that would likely have to involve Jaylen Brown and at least three teams.
Stein continues to hear Antetokounmpo prefers a trade to an Eastern Conference team capable of competing for championships rather than a move to the West. That presumably has to do with the strength of the Thunder and Spurs, whose young cores could make the two teams fixtures atop the conference for years to come.
Although Stein doesn’t expect the Mavericks to pursue Antetokounmpo this summer because they’re focused on building around Cooper Flagg (for what it’s worth, they also lack future first-round picks), league sources tell The Stein Line that the two-time MVP has long been intrigued by the possibility playing in Dallas.
As Stein explains, Antetokounmpo’s Mavs interest was first piqued by the possibility of teaming up with Luka Doncic, who was shockingly traded to the Lakers in February 2025. The 31-year-old continued to monitor the team from afar due to his close relationship with Jason Kidd, who recently parted ways with the team after five years as head coach, Stein writes.
The Mavericks did some background work leading up to the deadline to try to determine if Antetokounmpo was still interested in a possible trade to Dallas, according to Stein, who says Kidd’s exit wouldn’t necessarily preclude a deal. New Mavs president Masai Ujiri is also close to Antetokounmpo and the Raptors — Ujiri’s former team — were long linked to the Greek forward.
Still, Stein reiterates that Antetokounmpo is focused on Eastern clubs and he’s expected to have a considerable amount of say in trade talks, since he only has one guaranteed year on left on his contract. Antetokounmpo becomes extension-eligible in October.
Southwest Notes: Coward, Mosley, M. Brown, Mavericks
Cedric Coward was among the biggest surprises in a talented rookie class, earning First-Team All-Rookie honors after being selected with the 11th pick in last year’s draft. In an interview with Mark Medina of R.org, the Grizzlies forward spoke about the constant need to improve, which is why he’ll be returning to the Las Vegas Summer League in July.
“One, I want to keep growing my game,” Coward said. “Two, I want to let the team know that no matter what I got to do, whether it’s play in Summer League or in training camp, I’m going to be there to do it. It’s something that they wanted me to do. It’s something that I didn’t have any problem doing. For me, it allows me to maximize my game, too, and work on things that I didn’t do as much this past season. I’ve been working on that this summer. Also, I’m trying to win. It’s the competitiveness.”
Coward addresses several topics in the interview, including his encounters with veterans on other teams, the recent death of teammate Brandon Clarke and the public perception of Ja Morant. Coward calls Morant “one of the best people that I know personally” and says he provided a lot of help with making the adjustment to the NBA.
“He showed me different things in the game that I can take advantage of that can help him,” Coward said. “He provides the most gravity on the court when he’s playing. So for me, it’s about being in the right spots offensively and defensively. I remember one day, I grabbed the ball and they took it out and passed to me. I looked for him. He came up to me and said, ‘Why don’t you dribble the ball up?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I got you.’ It’s certain things like that where he’s making sure he can make the game easier on both of us. At the end of the day, if we’re successful, then we can help the team be successful. Then if the team is successful, we win games.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- In becoming the Pelicans‘ new head coach, Jamahl Mosley accepted the same challenge he took on five years ago in Orlando, Rod Walker of NOLA writes in a subscriber-only piece. The Magic were coming off a 21-win season when they hired Mosley, and he built them into a consistent playoff team by placing a strong emphasis on defense. New Orleans has won 21 and 26 games the past two years and is hoping for the same type of transformation.
- Louisville guard Mikel Brown Jr. has a combination of size and talent that appeals to new team president Masai Ujiri, making him a possibility when the Mavericks pick at No. 9, suggests James Piercey of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). Piercey notes that Ujiri has emphasized length and defense with his previous teams, sparking speculation about Brown, who is 6’5″ with a 6’7.5″ wingspan.
- Christian Clark of The Athletic looks at five potential candidates in the Mavericks‘ coaching search, starting with Spurs associate head coach Sean Sweeney. Considered one of the NBA’s top assistants, Sweeney spent four years on Jason Kidd‘s staff in Dallas before leaving for San Antonio last summer. Clark also examines the cases for Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, Trail Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter and South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley.
Mavs’ Masai Ujiri Talks Coaching Search, Flagg, Irving, Finley
The Mavericks‘ recently hired president, Masai Ujiri, spoke to the press on Wednesday for the second time this month following the team’s split with head coach Jason Kidd. Over the course of the press conference, Ujiri laid out his initial priorities and his long-term goals for the team.
The most pressing short-term concern is finding the team’s next head coach, after it was announced on Tuesday that Kidd and the organization had mutually agreed to part ways. Ujiri said that he plans to cast a wide net in order to bring in the perfect candidate, as he did with the Raptors, when he hired two different first-time head coaches (Nick Nurse and Darko Rajakovic), Eddie Sefko writes for NBA.com.
“I think our minds are very open,” Ujiri said. “We’re going to look everywhere. Every stone will (be turned over). We will really try to look at what’s best for this organization, be it first-time, be it experienced, be it college, be it European. Everywhere. Whatever is best for this organization going forward is what we are going to look at. It’s going to be very comprehensive.”
Illustrating the different directions the Mavs’ search could take, Ujiri pointed out that the Western Conference finals features two very young coaches, while the Eastern Conference finals matches up two veterans, per Mike Curtis of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter video link).
“The kind of person who I bring in here has that mindset of trying to win, and moving in that direction,” Ujiri said. “… We all have to have a united front and think the same way, and we’re going to continue to build this team to think like that.”
Ujiri told reporters that he has not been in touch with any candidates yet, since doing so would be disrespectful to Kidd and that isn’t the way he likes to do business. He also said that Kidd’s alleged role in the Luka Doncic trade played no role in the decision but that he viewed the move as a chance to give the franchise a “clean slate” ahead of the next era of Mavs basketball.
“I’m in no position to criticize or blame or even really investigate some of the things that happened then,” he said. “We have to figure out a way to slowly move on from this, and I have to hold myself accountable for doing this.”
We have more notes from Ujiri’s presser:
- Ujiri emphasized that everything he’s trying to do is aimed at maximizing the future of Cooper Flagg, Grant Afseth writes for the Dallas Hoops Journal. “Every decision we are going to make here is going to be future-based,” Ujiri said. “We have a 19-year-old generational player on our roster, and we have to think that way. We’re not going to make decisions based on winning today. I don’t think that would make sense for the organization.” The Mavs have the ninth overall pick this year, but don’t control their own unprotected pick after that until 2031.
- However, that statement does not seem to indicate that the new president is looking to move on from veteran point guard Kyrie Irving. Ujiri said that the organization is very interested in seeing Flagg and Irving play together, Christian Clark writes for The Athletic. The star point guard missed Flagg’s entire rookie season while recovering from a torn ACL. “Kevin Durant once told me, ‘There is only one Kyrie walking around in the world,‘” Ujiri said. “I think we have to figure out how Kyrie fits with our program. I have had those conversations with Kyrie. I think Kyrie will fit.”
- Matt Riccardi‘s reported departure from the team, it raised questions as to the future of franchise alumni and Riccardi’s fellow co-interim general manager Michael Finley, but Ujiri said that the team remains in talks with Finley to find him a potential role within the organization, writes Schuyler Dixon of AP News.
Mavericks Executive Matt Riccardi Leaving Organization
It has been a month of upheaval in Dallas. After hiring Masai Ujiri to be their new president and Mike Schmitz as their general manager, the Mavericks parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd on Tuesday and are also splitting with executive Matt Riccardi, who is departing the organization, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
A native of the Dallas area, Riccardi worked with the Nets for 13 years in scouting and executive roles, then was hired by the Mavericks in 2022 as their senior director of pro personnel.
He was promoted during the summer of 2023 to an assistant GM position and was elevated again last November when the team fired Nico Harrison, becoming a co-interim GM with Michael Finley at that time. Riccardi and Finley ran the front office for the remainder of the 2025/26 season while the Mavs searched for Harrison’s permanent successor. According to Fischer, Riccardi was actually the runner-up to Ujiri in that search.
Riccardi was the Mavs’ representative in the drawing room on draft lottery night last May when the team won the No. 1 overall pick and also represented Dallas at this month’s lottery drawing. Just over a week later, however, he’s on his way out. Riccardi’s exit is part of a “flurry” of staff changes involving coaches and scouts, writes Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).
There has been no indication yet whether Finley will remain in Dallas’ front office or join Riccardi in leaving the team.
Here are a few more notes from Stein on the changes in Dallas:
- Ujiri’s annual salary on his new deal with the Mavs is “comfortably” in the eight figures, industry sources tell The Stein Line.
- While it’s not immediately clear who will emerge as top candidates to replace Kidd on the sidelines in Dallas, Ujiri likely already has some specific targets in mind, according to Stein, who points out that the former Raptors executive hired Schmitz just four days after joining the organization. Spurs associate head coach and former Mavs assistant Sean Sweeney is one potential candidate with ties to the team, Stein notes; Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori, whose time as a Raptors assistant overlapped with Ujiri’s stint in Toronto, is another.
- As for Kidd, it’s possible he could draw immediate interest from another team seeking a head coach, assuming he wants to jump right into another job. The Magic, who are in the midst of a coaching search, had serious interest in Kidd before hiring Jamahl Mosley in 2021, per Stein. Kidd also has a preexisting relationship with new Trail Blazers owner Tom Dundon, Stein adds.
- According to Stein, the expectation is that the Mavericks will receive trade interest in point guard Kyrie Irving this offseason, though it remains to be seen whether or not they’ll be receptive to those inquiries.
Mavericks Part Ways With Head Coach Jason Kidd
The Mavericks and head coach Jason Kidd have mutually agreed to part ways, Marc Stein of The Stein Line tweets.
Kidd signed an extension last offseason and still has four years and more than $40MM remaining on his contract, according to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix (Twitter link).
The news comes just a little more than two weeks after the Mavericks named former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri as their president and alternate governor. At that time, the team indicated Ujiri would oversee all aspects of the Mavericks’ basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, and scouting, while working with team leadership to shape the organization’s basketball philosophy and long-term direction.
Ujiri was noncommittal about Kidd’s future during his introductory press conference earlier this month, and he and Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont reached the decision this week to move on from the Mavericks’ coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. The Mavs sent out a press release, relayed by Mannix (Twitter link), with comments from Ujiri.
“Jason has had a meaningful impact on the Dallas Mavericks, both as a Hall of Fame player and as the head coach who helped lead this franchise back to the NBA Finals,” he said in the statement. “We are thankful for Jason’s leadership, his professionalism and his commitment to the team. In my short time here, I’ve developed an enormous amount of respect for what he has built. He will always be an important part of the Mavericks family.”
Kidd was named head coach of the Mavericks on June 28, 2021 and was highly successful prior to the controversial Luka Doncic trade with the Lakers. During his tenure, the Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and reached the NBA Finals in 2024. Dallas was injury-riddled this season while finishing 26-56.
In total, Kidd compiled a 205-205 (.500) regular season record and won five playoff series during his five seasons in Dallas.
Ujiri indicated that he wanted to wipe the slate clean and bring in his choice to lead a franchise that will be built around Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said. “We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention. We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve.”
The presence of Flagg plus the No. 9 pick in this year’s draft will make the Dallas job attractive. Kidd’s resume will place him at or near the top of any number of head coaching searches around the league. Chicago, Orlando and Portland are currently looking for a new head coach.
Mike Schmitz Discusses Being Hired As Mavs GM
Mike Schmitz, a former DraftExpress scout and ESPN draft analyst who was most recently an assistant general manager with the Trail Blazers, was hired by the Mavericks on May 8 to be their new GM. He will be the top lieutenant in Dallas under new president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri.
As Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com writes, Schmitz spoke to the media at the draft lottery on May 10, just two days after he accepted the job.
“It’s been chaotic in a beautiful way. It’s not lost on me what an amazing opportunity this is,” Schmitz said. “I’m 35 years old, and to be able to be a general manager for such a prestigious organization, working in unison with Masai, obviously (governor) Patrick Dumont, and the rest of the ownership group believing in me, it’s a really, really important time.”
Ujiri previously offered high praise for Schmitz, calling him an “incredible scout” and “incredible leader” who will bring a “whole package” of skills to the Mavs’ basketball operations department. Ujiri added that he’s known Schmitz for “many, many years,” which Schmitz confirmed.
“I’ve done a lot of scouting internationally, and when I first got into the scouting space and was out on the road, we were in the same gyms for years and years — whether that’s in Africa or Europe or in the States,” Schmitz said. “So I’m really thankful for that relationship and him bringing me on board.”
“… Obviously, we’ve had a long-standing relationship, and I think him being able to trust in me and me being able to lean on him in a variety of different areas — I think it’s going to work great,” Schmitz added.
Like many other executives around the league, Schmitz praised the depth of the 2026 draft class and is “very confident” in the Mavs’ ability to find a quality player with the ninth overall pick, per Afseth. Dallas also controls the 30th and 48th selections in June’s draft.
“We want someone who can bring a variety of different skills and bring kind of a mentality that we’re looking for,” Schmitz said. “But we’re really confident we can get a rotation-level player, and we’re going to do everything we can.”
According to Afseth, Schmitz credited his previous experience with helping him learn how to run a basketball operations department, and he hopes to bring a collaborative approach to Dallas. He also discussed Cooper Flagg and how the Rookie of the Year’s versatility will give the organization multiple ways to build out the roster around him.