Rick Welts To Retire As Dallas Mavericks CEO At End Of 2026, Ethan Casson Named Successor

DALLAS — Rick Welts will retire as chief executive officer of the Dallas Mavericks at the end of 2026, the team announced Wednesday. Team president Ethan Casson will succeed him as CEO and alternate governor on Jan. 1, 2027.

Welts, 73, joined the Mavericks in January 2025 after Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont brought him out of retirement to replace Cynt Marshall, who retired after nearly seven years as CEO. Casson arrived as president in August 2025, and he has led the franchise’s day-to-day business operations since then alongside Welts, Dumont, and the executive leadership team.

In a statement released by the team, Dumont said Welts strengthened the Mavericks’ leadership team during his two years in the job.

“Rick joined the Mavericks at an important moment for our organization, and his leadership, judgment, and experience have been invaluable,” Dumont said. “He has helped strengthen our leadership team, advance our long-term vision, and position the organization for continued success. Just as importantly, Rick and Ethan have built a strong partnership that has created a natural and seamless path forward.”

Rick Welts Oversaw Arena Search That Landed On Valley View Mall Site

On June 1, the Mavericks announced option agreements for 104 acres at the former Valley View Mall site in Far North Dallas, where the team plans to build a new arena and entertainment district. A move there would take the franchise out of downtown Dallas for the first time.

The Mavericks’ lease at American Airlines Center expires in July 2031. Welts had set a July 1 target for picking a site so a new arena could open in time for the 2031-32 season. Plans for the Valley View property also call for a new team headquarters and practice facility. On Sept. 21, the Mavericks unveiled renovations to the practice facility they use now.

From 2011 until he stepped away after the 2020-21 season, Welts was president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors and led the franchise’s effort to build Chase Center in San Francisco. He spent the nine years before that as president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns. In May 2011, while he was still running the Suns, Welts came out publicly as gay in a story by Dan Barry of The New York Times.

His NBA career began in 1969, when he went to work as a 16-year-old ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics. Welts was the SuperSonics’ public relations director when the team won the 1979 NBA championship. From 1982 to 1999 in the NBA league office, he created NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984, built the marketing program for the 1992 Olympic Dream Team, and helped launch the WNBA. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him as a contributor in 2018.

Welts remains CEO through Dec. 31 and has worked side by side with Casson since the president arrived in Dallas.

“When I came to Dallas, I saw an extraordinary opportunity to help build something meaningful for the future of this franchise, and I am incredibly proud of the progress we’ve made,” Welts said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work side by side with Ethan and I’ve seen firsthand the leadership, integrity, and vision he brings to this organization. I have complete confidence in him and could not feel better about the future of the Dallas Mavericks.”

Ethan Casson Ran Timberwolves And Lynx Before Joining Mavericks

Casson started his sports career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he oversaw corporate partnerships, before he left for the San Francisco 49ers in 2010.

With the 49ers, Casson was chief operating officer during the development of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. He secured a 20-year, $220 million naming rights partnership with Levi Strauss & Co. The Mavericks called it one of the largest naming rights agreements in NFL history. The stadium project won Sports Business Journal’s 2015 Sports Facility of the Year award.

In 2016, Casson returned to Minnesota and spent nine seasons as CEO and alternate governor of the Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx. The Timberwolves were a finalist for Sports Business Journal’s 2024 Sports Team of the Year. The organization also received the NBA’s 2023-24 Inclusion Leadership Award.

After the NBA approved the $1.5 billion sale of the Timberwolves and Lynx to a new ownership group on June 24, 2025, Casson left the organization. Dallas hired him on July 29, 2025, in a newly created president’s role. Dumont said then that adding top-tier executives like Casson was fundamental to the Mavericks’ goal of being an elite franchise.

“When Ethan joined the Mavericks, we knew we were adding an accomplished leader who could help us build for the long term,” Dumont explained. “Watching Rick and Ethan work together has only reinforced our confidence that Ethan is the right person to lead the Mavericks into this next chapter.”

A world-class arena and entertainment district was the first priority Casson listed in his statement.

“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. “I also want to recognize Rick. His impact on this organization, our industry, and on me personally is difficult to overstate. We’ve spent the last 15 months working closely together to build a foundation for the future, and I am excited to carry that work forward alongside our talented team.”

“Our vision extends well beyond the basketball court,” Casson continued. “From developing a world-class arena and entertainment district to deepening our relationships with fans, partners, and the community, we have an opportunity to create something that truly reflects the ambition, energy, and spirit of Dallas.”

The Mavericks (2-2) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (4-0) on Wednesday at American Airlines Center, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. CT. Dallas listed seven players on its injury report for the game, while Oklahoma City ruled out six players.