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Jason Kidd Makes Strong Luka Doncic Trade Statement Before NBA Draft

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeremy Beren | Last updated May 19, 2025 3:27 PM ET

More than three months have passed since the Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA by trading franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Mavericks fans were heartbroken in the wake of the Doncic deal and blamed general manager Nico Harrison for the team's reversal in fortunes afterward -- a downward spiral which saw Dallas eliminated from the NBA's Play-in Tournament, less than a year after it reached the NBA Finals.

But the Mavericks received a lifeline via the NBA Draft Lottery last week. Dallas hit the jackpot last Monday and won the #1 pick, giving Harrison a chance to redeem himself by selecting Duke phenom Cooper Flagg first overall at the draft itself on June 25.

Harrison, Jason Kidd and the rest of the Mavericks brain trust are looking to move on from the Doncic debacle -- which proved to be a PR nightmare but could be forgotten if Flagg emerges as a superstar in Dallas.

Jason Kidd on the Luka Doncic trade: "I truly can understand the frustration or the hurt of the trade. Luka is one of the best in the world. He was here, he played at a high level. All of the sudden there is a change... But we have to move forward. There is a draft and there will…
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) May 19, 2025

Appearing Monday on the "DLLS Mavs Podcast," Kidd made clear that he understood the visceral fan reaction to the Doncic trade, which sent "one of the best players in the world" to a Western Conference rival. But he urged Mavs fans to move on and look to a future -- possibly with Flagg as the standard-bearer.

"There is a draft, and there will be another season. We truly believe that we have the best fans and we would love for them to support us not just this summer but going forward," Kidd said. "We are trying to win a championship. We won one in 2011 and we plan on winning another one here shortly."

Further extending an olive branch to an angry fanbase, Kidd went on to reveal to DLLS that the Mavericks "love that kid from Duke" -- a subtle hint that the 18-year-old Flagg is at the top of the team's board, a month out from the draft.

"Right now, I'm studying the young man that used to play at Duke," Kidd said.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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