Rick Carlisle could leave Mavericks?

Rick Carlisle has been a mainstay on the sideline in Dallas over the last decade-plus. However, he may not be dug in nearly as deep as you think.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported on Monday that the Mavericks head coach is rumored to have an eye on the Milwaukee Bucks job.

Carlisle, who is signed through 2023, has coached Dallas since 2008. That makes him the third-longest-tenured head coach in the league behind Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs and Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat. Carlisle also led the Mavs to the NBA title in 2011 but has yet to win even a single playoff series since then. For what it’s worth though, Dallas owner Mark Cuban publicly backed Carlisle after the team’s latest disappointment.

As for the Bucks, current head coach Mike Budenholzer appears to be skating on thin ice. But he may have been thrown a life jacket now that Milwaukee has tied their second-round series against the Brooklyn Nets after injuries to James Harden and Kyrie Irving.

The Bucks currently have a stronger overall roster and play in the weaker conference as well. Those are two good reasons why Carlisle might find them more attractive than his current situation in Dallas.