Just a week after resigning from coaching the Dallas Mavericks, Rick Carlisle is headed back to Indiana.

Specifically, the Pacers on a four-year $29 million deal.

On his way out, he endorsed who he'd like to see running the Mavericks on the sideline after him. That person was Mavericks legend and Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd.

"My hope is that Jason Kidd will be the next coach of the Mavs because he and Luka have so many things in common as players," Carlisle said to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "I just think that it would be a great situation for Luka, and I think it would be an amazing situation for Jason. I'm the only person on the planet that's coached both of those guys and that knows about all of their special qualities as basketball players. To me, that just would be a great marriage, but that's just an opinion."

The endorsement of Kidd comes at an interesting point in the Mavericks offseason. Mark Cuban stated that he wants to hire the next president of basketball operations before hiring the next head coach.

However, talks between Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks have gained traction in recent days. In NBA circles, he is viewed as a prominent candidate on the Mavericks' short list of possible next coaches.

Carlisle's endorsement of Kidd is just the latest. LeBron James reportedly called Kidd his basketball IQ equal. And a few seasons ago, two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo was ready to bat for Kidd once he was fired from Milwaukee.

The premise of Carlisle's endorsement of Kidd stems from the similarities between Luka Doncic and Kidd's play on the floor.

Kidd, during his playing days, was a bigger guard who liked to set his teammates up for easy baskets. Doncic, is also a bigger guard, who likes creating shots for others. However, where the two differ is in scoring.

Kidd was never an elite shot-maker, and by the time of his arrival in Dallas, he was only a competent 3-point shooter. Doncic, on the other hand, is every bit of an elite shot creator. He torments defenses with his step-back threes. And he bullies smaller guards with his physicality inside.

That doesn't mean there isn't a thing, or two, that Doncic can learn from Kidd as a head coach.

Dallas still needs to hire its general manager before the next head coach steps in, but it's easy to see how that coach may very well be the former championship-winning guard in Kidd.

"I just have an amazing amount of gratitude to the city of Dallas, the Mavericks organization, all the players and coaches that I've had an opportunity to work with," Carlisle said. "Dirk, J-Kidd, [Jason Terry], Luka, Tyson [Chandler], Shawn Marion, J.J. Barea — there's just so many. It would be very emotional to just try to express all the feelings that I have about it."

Related reading on Mavericks:

"Tim Hardaway Jr. expects big money, and he deserves it."

"Rick Carlisle resigns as head coach, now who's in?"

Feature image via  Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports.