Canales began his coaching career as an assistant coach in 2001 at United High School of Laredo. The following year, Canales became an assistant coach at Martin High School also in Laredo. In 2003, Canales returned to UT Arlington to be an assistant coach.[2][5][6]
NBA / NBA G League coaching career
In 2005, Canales was hired as a video intern for the Portland Trail Blazers, and was eventually hired as the team's video coordinator. In 2009, he was promoted to an assistant coach for the team.[2][7] In 2010, Canales served as the Trail Blazers' head coach during the NBA Summer League.[8] He was promoted to interim head coach of the Trail Blazers after head coach Nate McMillan was dismissed on March 15, 2012.[9] Canales became the youngest active head coach in the NBA and the first Mexican-American coach in NBA history.[4][10] In 2012, Portland hired Terry Stotts as their head coach, but Canales remained with the team as an assistant.[11]
On May 3, 2013, Canales accepted an assistant coaching job with the Dallas Mavericks.[12]
In 2018, Canales was hired as an assistant coach for the New York Knicks under David Fizdale.[13] Canales remained with the team after Fizdale was fired in 2019 and worked under interim head coach Mike Miller.[14][15]