The Dallas Mavericks overhauled their medical staff during the offseason after an underwhelming season ravaged by injuries.
The Mavericks were one of the NBA’s most injured teams, losing 444 man games. Questions surfaced around how the medical team was handling injuries, with staff members disagreeing about how soon players should return to the court and one reportedly lacking the proper certification for his role.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, the Mavericks have promoted Jana Austin from assistant athletic trainer to head athletic trainer, cutting ties with Dionne Calhoun after 21 seasons. They also hired Geoff Puls from the Chicago Bulls as their new head of strength and performance.
Director of performance and rehabilitation Johann Bilsborough will oversee the staff for a second season, with the hope that the new hires will use their expertise to ensure the Mavericks can remain as healthy as possible throughout the season — without the controversy.
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“They’re doing their part,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Thursday. “That’s medical and strength. Geoff has done great. Jana’s been great. For the promotion and also the new hire, everybody’s doing a great job.”
Austin is entering her second season in Dallas after four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans and two years with the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant athletic trainer. The Corona, Calif., native also has athletic training experience in the G League with the Santa Cruz Warriors, along with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
Puls joins the Mavericks after spending the last eight seasons with the Bulls, most notably as their head strength and conditioning coach. The franchise had six players appear in more than 76 games under Puls’ leadership, including two in all 82 (Nikola Vucevic and Patrick Williams in 2022-23). The Manitowoc, Wisc., native began his career at Notre Dame as an assistant head strength and coach.
The new staff has already been put to the test through the first two weeks of training camp and the preseason. Daniel Gafford suffered a sprained ankle in the first practice of training camp in Vancouver and was given a timeline of two to three weeks to return, which could be as soon as next Wednesday and as late as the Mavericks’ season opener against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 22.
Gafford’s is the most severe injury the Mavericks have disclosed. P.J. Washington bumped his head in a collision during the same practice but has since returned. He led the Mavericks with 14 points in Monday’s preseason opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Brandon Williams is also back in action after missing Monday’s game because of a left hamstring strain he sustained in Vancouver. He said Thursday he’s considered day-to-day for Saturday’s game against Charlotte.
Dante Exum remains out for an undisclosed reason but was spotted on an elliptical bike after Thursday’s practice. Kyrie Irving remains “right on schedule” in his recovery from ACL surgery on his left knee, Kidd said on media day, but there’s no definitive timeline for his return.
That’s more than enough work for the medical staff, which also includes assistant strength and conditioning coaches Elbert Denina and Jordan Forget.
Former athletic performance director Keith Belton was relieved of his duties after reports of tension with Bilsborough and a lack of proper certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, according to ESPN, which is required by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
The Mavericks enter the 2024-25 season with several questions, primarily due to the uncertainty around their health. Their depth will be officially be tested once the season begins against the San Antonio Spurs on Oct. 22.
Kidd’s experience as a player and coach has equipped him with the reality that injuries are unfortunate, but inevitable.
“Injuries are a part of the game. That’s just gonna happen,” he said. “The key is to get them healthy and get them back as fast as possible. Right now, I think that’s what they’re doing.”
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