Rick Welts will retire as CEO of the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 31, nearly two years after joining the team to lead a new arena project.
Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts will retire on Dec. 31, 2026, the team announced Wednesday. Ethan Casson, the current team president hired last year, will succeed the 73-year-old Welts as CEO and alternate governor. Welts, a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer, joined the franchise in 2024 after being recruited out of retirement by governor Patrick Dumont.
The leadership transition follows the Mavericks' announcement of a new arena in north Dallas scheduled to open for the 2031-32 season. The franchise has played in downtown Dallas since its 1980-81 expansion year. Welts previously managed the Golden State Warriors' move to Chase Center in 2019 and spent 10 years with that organization before his initial retirement in 2021.
Casson brings nine years of experience as CEO of the Minnesota Timberwolves to the role. He also previously served as the chief operating officer for the San Francisco 49ers. Welts, who has spent nearly 50 years in the NBA, also held positions with the Phoenix Suns and within the NBA league offices prior to his tenures in San Francisco and Dallas.
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