Phil Handy's time in Dallas is over before it really got going. The Mavericks' player development ace, who joined Jason Kidd's staff last summer with 3 championship rings already in his pocket (Cavs 2016, Raptors 2019, Lakers 2020), is finalizing a deal to join Nick Nurse's staff in Philadelphia, according to Marc Stein and Marc Spears.
Handy and Nurse already have history. Handy spent the 2018-19 season on Nurse's Raptors bench, the year Toronto won it all behind Kawhi Leonard, so this isn't some cold hire — it's a reunion. Now he's reportedly finalizing terms to reunite with Nurse in Philly, this time with a roster that needs his specialty. Handy's whole reputation is built on 1-on-1 skill work with stars like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kawhi, exactly the kind of individualized development a Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey pairing could use.
The bigger story here isn't just one assistant switching conferences — it's what it means for Dallas. When Dusty May took over as Mavericks head coach, Handy and Josh Broghamer were the only 2 assistants kept on from Jason Kidd's staff. Broghamer, who spent last season helping run Cooper Flagg's pregame routine, already bolted for Orlando to join the Magic's staff under Sean Sweeney. That left Handy as the lone Kidd-era survivor.
With Phil Handy now bound for Philly, per @MarcJSpears below, that means Dusty May’s first coaching staff in Dallas will be entirely new. Handy and Josh Broghamer (who recently left Dallas for Orlando) were the only holdovers left from Jason Kidd’s staff.
With Handy now headed to Philly too, May's staff is a total teardown-and-rebuild — every single assistant carried over from the Kidd era is gone. May has already brought in his own guys, including former Pelicans head coach Willie Green, giving Dallas a staff that looks nothing like the one that closed out last season.
For the 76ers, this is another notable add to Nurse's bench as he tries to build a staff capable of getting the most out of a roster with championship aspirations when healthy. For the Mavericks, it's a reminder of just how quickly a front office can reset after a coaching change — Kidd's fingerprints on this staff are officially wiped clean, and Dusty May is building this thing entirely from scratch.