The Dallas Mavericks have hired former Portland Trail Blazers assistant general manager Mike Schmitz to oversee the franchise’s day-to-day basketball operations under president Masai Ujiri, the team announced Friday.
Schmitz joined the Blazers’ front office in May of 2022 after serving as a draft analyst for ESPN since 2017.
In his new role as the Mavericks general manager, Schmitz will help in “all areas of basketball operations including scouting, player personnel, strategic planning and organizational collaboration across departments.” The hire is one of the first by Ujiri, who officially joined Dallas as team president and alternative governor last week.
“Mike is one of the most respected evaluators and basketball minds in the NBA,” Ujiri said in a statement. “He brings intelligence, discipline, humility and a relentless work ethic to everything he does. Just as importantly, he understands how to build an aligned, collaborative culture across every part of a basketball organization. We are building something special in Dallas, and Mike will be a major part of that vision.”
The Mavs’ lead basketball executive roles have been open since team owner Patrick Dumont fired GM Nico Harrison on Nov. 11. That decision was made after Dallas stumbled to a 3-8 start amid continued, intense fan backlash stemming from the shocking trade of perennial All-NBA selection Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025, only months removed from the Mavs’ appearance in the 2024 NBA Finals.
Schmitz takes over a Mavericks team projected to receive a high lottery pick in next month’s draft, one year after they selected reigning Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick.
“Joining the Dallas Mavericks is an incredible opportunity,” Schmitz said in a statement. “I have tremendous respect for Masai, this ownership group and the vision they have for the future of this franchise. I’m excited to get to work alongside the talented people already in place and help build a championship-caliber organization.”
