DALLAS — While it won’t create many headlines, it may be the first of many more dominoes for the Dallas Mavericks to fall this offseason.
Friday, in a statement released by Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, the team announced that former offensive coordinator Jim O’Brien would be retiring from coaching after serving as an assistant coach in Dallas for just one season. Carlisle then confirmed what was first reported by The Oregonian when he went on to say that the role of offensive coordinator would be filled by former Portland assistant coach Kaleb Canales, who will be new to the Dallas sideline next season.
“On April 16, Jim O’Brien informed me that he would be retiring from coaching when our season was over,” Carlisle said in his statement. “Jim said he loved working in the Mavs organization, but being away from family made his decision easy. I consider Jim O’Brien a great basketball man of high integrity and thank him for everything he taught me, my staff and our players this past season. We are fortunate that Kaleb Canales became available and had interest in joining the Mavs organization. Kaleb has worked for the Portland Trailblazers organization in multiple capacities for the last nine years, and brings great knowledge, enthusiasm and work ethic to the Mavs. He will join Monte Mathis and Tony Brown on the bench and take over in Coach O’Brien’s capacity of coordinating our offense.”
Serving as head coach during stints with the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers, O’Brien retires with a 303-327 record. He now steps away from the bench, leaving an opening for the 34-year-old Canales to come aboard after serving as the defensive coordinator for former Dallas assistant and now head coach of the Trail Blazers Terry Stotts.
The UT-Arlington alum also brings interim head coaching experience after going 8-15 when he was appointed to fill in following the 2012 firing of Nate McMillan.
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