The Dallas Mavericks announced a leadership transition on 28 October 2026. Chief executive officer Rick Welts will retire at the end of 2026, and president Ethan Casson will succeed him as CEO and Alternate Governor, according to the team's official release published by NBA.com. Welts will stay on as CEO through 31 December 2026 and work with Casson on the handover, and Casson will assume the role on 1 January 2027.
Welts, 73, is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and joined the Mavericks in 2025. The team credits him with guiding a period of significant organisational change, including strengthening the executive leadership team and advancing its long-term arena and development strategy. The transition comes after nearly five decades for Welts as one of the most influential executives in professional basketball and sports business.
Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont said Welts had arrived at an important moment for the organisation and that "his leadership, judgment and experience have been invaluable". Dumont added that the partnership between Welts and Casson had created a natural path forward and that watching them work together had reinforced his confidence in Casson.
Welts said he was proud of the progress made in Dallas and had seen Casson's leadership, integrity and vision first-hand: "I have complete confidence in him and could not feel better about the future of the Dallas Mavericks."
Who is Ethan Casson
Casson joined the Mavericks as president in August 2025 and has run the organisation's day-to-day business operations. He brings more than two decades of leadership experience in professional sports and entertainment.
He spent nine seasons as CEO and Alternate Governor of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx, a period of record growth across key revenue and business metrics. Under his leadership the Timberwolves were a finalist for Sports Business Journal's 2024 Sports Team of the Year and received the NBA's 2023-24 Inclusion Leadership Award. Before that he was chief operating officer of the San Francisco 49ers, where he played a key role in developing Levi's Stadium and secured a 20-year, $220 million naming-rights deal with Levi Strauss & Co., one of the largest in NFL history.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Levi's Stadium, a project Casson worked on at the 49ers, named Sports Business Journal's Sports Facility of the Year |
| 2025 | Rick Welts joins the Mavericks |
| 8/2025 | Ethan Casson joins the Mavericks as president |
| 28/10/2026 | Transition announced |
| 31/12/2026 | Welts' last day as CEO |
| 1/1/2027 | Casson becomes CEO and Alternate Governor |
What comes next
Welts and Casson will spend the final two months of 2026 working through the handover. "It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the Dallas Mavericks, and I am grateful to Patrick for his trust and confidence," Casson said, adding that the two had spent 15 months building a foundation for the future.
Casson also looked further ahead: "Our vision extends well beyond the basketball court." He pointed to plans for a world-class arena and entertainment district and to deeper ties with fans, partners and the community. The release gave no timeline or further details for the arena project.