The Dallas Mavericks are bringing back one of their more popular former players, as they have hired former sixth man Nick Van Exel as a pro personnel scout, according to a report from New York Times insider Marc Stein.

Van Exel will be returning to the team that he spent a season and a half with, as the former NBA player previously played for the Mavs from 2002 to 2003. After enjoying a fairly long career, Van Exel retired from the NBA in 2006, and has since served as a coach with multiple teams across a variety of leagues, including both the NBA and NCAA.

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His latest job was a coaching stint that saw Van Exel taking over as an assistant within the Memphis Grizzlies organization. Prior to that, he was actually the head coach of the Mavs' G-League team, so he is familiar with the organization from a coaching standpoint already. As a scout with the Mavericks, Van Exel will likely be working with the rest of the scouting department, and will assist in whatever way the team needs.

As a player, Van Exel was a one-time All-Star, and finished his career averaging 14.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 6.6 assists. His career began in Los Angeles, where he played five years with the Lakers before moving on to a variety of other teams, including the Nuggets, Mavericks, Warriors, Trail Blazers, and Spurs. Since his retirement, Van Exel has clearly wanted to stay close to the sport, and his new job in Dallas will allow him to remain tied to the game for some time.