There was still a reason to celebrate on Monday night, even if the Mavs suffered a blowout loss.

Mavericks CEO Rick Welts also said the search fro a permanent new president of basketball operations is ongoing.

Was Jason Kidd really fired by the Mavericks or is it an April Fools Day joke?

The general manager search for the Mavericks has four lofty names attached to it.

The Dallas Mavericks (24-51) will make a quick trip north to face the Milwaukee Bucks (29-45) for a makeup game that was originally scheduled for January 25. Due to a winter storm that left the Mavericks stranded on the runway for several hours, the game was suspended and eventually moved to March 31.

Publicly, the prevailing perception is that the Mavericks’ efforts to build a new arena by 2031 are moving at glacial pace. Behind the scenes, indications are that those efforts are ramping up. Dallas City Council’s hotly debated 9-6 vote on March 5 primarily was to approve a resolution to explore options for leaving City Hall.

The Mavericks say they plan to stay in Dallas and build a new arena and entertainment district, with a site decision expected by July ahead of their 2031 lease expiration.

Being at the top of your profession usually attracts suitors. Since being named general manager in 2007, Sam Presti has built up the Oklahoma City Thunder into an NBA powerhouse. He's built up two title contenders in the small-market franchise and finally captured a championship ring as his magnum opus.

The Dallas Mavericks were a long shot to win the NBA lottery last year, and Cooper Flagg was just as surprised as they were to see them land the No. 1 pick.