DALLAS — Former NBA head coach Paul Westphal was hired as the Mavericks' executive vice president of basketball operations on Monday.

Westphal, who was a Dallas assistant coach last season, will assist general manager Donnie Nelson and work in scouting.

When Westphal was hired before last season to be on former coach Avery Johnson's staff he had been out of the NBA since being fired as Seattle's coach 15 games into the 2000-01 season. He had a 267-159 record as coach for Phoenix (1992-95) and Seattle (1998-2000), leading the Suns to the 1993 NBA finals in his first full season.

Westphal was already under contract with the Mavericks this season, but wasn't part of new coach Rick Carlisle's staff.

Westphal won an NBA title as a player with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and was a five-time All-Star. He was Pepperdine's head coach from 2001-06.