Dusty May arrived in Dallas with a clear first move: the Mavericks selected Morez Johnson Jr. with the ninth overall pick. The pick raised eyebrows because Johnson, a player from May’s Michigan program, was viewed as a questionable offensive fit alongside the franchise’s newest cornerstone, Cooper Flagg. Still, the selection underscored May’s willingness to blend his college pedigree with the NBA talent pool.

May’s coaching staff is the next big puzzle. Most of the assistants from Jason Kidd’s previous campaign are not returning, leaving a vacancy that the front office is filling with a mix of continuity and fresh experience. Player-development specialist Phil Handy appears set to stay, providing a bridge between last season’s work and May’s developmental focus. Beyond Handy, the Mavericks are reportedly courting former Pelicans head coach Willie Green, former Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin, and Miami Heat consultant Noah LaRoche.

Willie Green’s recent résumé offers both caution and opportunity. Dismissed early in the 2025-26 season by New Orleans, Green finished his five-year tenure with a 150-190 record, guided the Pelicans to the playoffs twice, and posted a 36-46 stretch that led to one of those postseason runs. He never reached the 50-win benchmark, and his exit coincided with front-office changes that saw Joe Dumars assume control of the Pelicans’ roster construction, a shift that many observers linked to Green’s firing.

Adrian Griffin arrives from a Bucks background, having served as head coach in Milwaukee before the Mavericks’ interest. While his time in Dallas would be his first with the franchise, his experience in a modern, position-less system could complement May’s emphasis on spacing and ball movement. Noah LaRoche, a consultant with the Miami Heat, brings a reputation for detailed player-specific schematics, a skill set that aligns with the Mavericks’ developmental agenda.

The composition of May’s staff will shape how quickly Dallas translates its high draft capital into a competitive window. Retaining Handy ensures continuity in individualized development, while adding Green, Griffin, or LaRoche could inject fresh tactical perspectives. The Mavericks will need to lock in their assistants before the Summer League begins, giving the new coaching team time to install practices, set expectations, and integrate their philosophies ahead of the preseason. The decisions made in the coming weeks will determine whether Dallas can fuse collegiate concepts with NBA execution and set a clear path for Flagg and his teammates.