Melbourne United and head coach Dean Vickerman are in active discussions regarding a potential release from the remainder of his contract, sources told ESPN.
Vickerman, who's been at the helm of United since 2017, has a head coach opportunity in Japan, sources said, and appears set to join the growing list of Australians and Kiwis to move from the NBL to the B League.
Vickerman is contracted with United through the 2027-28 NBL season, but the two parties are working together with the hope of coming to an agreement on a buyout, sources said.
In his nine seasons as United's head coach, Vickerman has guided the franchise to two NBL Championships, as well as three other Championship Series appearances, while finishing the regular season as the No. 1 seed four times. He's a three-time NBL Coach of the Year.
United is coming off a fifth-place finish in the 2025-26 NBL season, with a 20-13 record. They were eliminated from playoff contention after losing a play-in game to the Perth Wildcats. With the 2026 NBL free agency period underway, United has Sam Waardenburg, Kyle Bowen, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, and Fabijan Krslovic contracted going into the 2026-27 season.
ESPN's reporting is that Joe Ingles -- one of Australia's most decorated players -- plans to sign with United once his NBA season with the Minnesota Timberwolves comes to an end.
Vickerman had a two-year playing stint with the Melbourne Tigers before beginning his coaching career in 1997. The 54-year-old has primarily coached in Australia and New Zealand, serving as an assistant for multiple teams; he won three titles as an assistant with the New Zealand Breakers (2011-2013), and one with the Tigers (2006). In 2013, Vickerman took over as head coach of the Breakers. He won an NBL Championship in his second season with the Breakers.
Vickerman left the Breakers in 2016 and had a one-year pitstop as an assistant coach for the Sydney Kings, before joining United ahead of the 2017-18 NBL season, where he would emerge as one of the most decorated coaches in the league.
Vickerman is also the associate head coach of the Australian Boomers -- the country's senior men's national team -- under new head coach Adam Caporn.
This continues a growing trend of NBL coaches eyeing Japan's B League; a move largely driven by financial incentives. Trevor Gleeson, Andrej Lemanis, Shawn Dennis, Paul Henare, and Mody Maor are among those who had success in the NBL and subsequently earned coaching positions in Japan.