Oct 29, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (left) and head coach Jason Kidd talk during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Mavericks' Jason Kidd sounds off on initial reaction to Luka Doncic-Lakers trade

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated May 16, 2025 11:47 AM ET

The 2024-25 season did not go as the Dallas Mavericks envisioned once they made the 2024 NBA Finals. A lot of it was self-inflicted, as the Luka Doncic trade sent the fanbase into a frenzy, forced a midseason identity change, and the injuries piled up after that, which can be attributed to the poor training staff that Nico Harrison assembled.

Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison and Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka claim that no one, except the team's governors, knew about the deal until the final hour, a claim that many people doubt. Jason Kidd backs up that story though.

Kidd recently appeared on the "Dan Patrick Show" where he was asked about his input on the decision to trade Doncic. He still stands by that he didn't have any.

"I was told by my boss, Nico, that we were going to make a change... This is in the hotel in Cleveland, he said the news was going to hit in an hour, and that's how it went down. When he told me, I went back to my room to start figuring out how we were going to use [Anthony Davis] and [Max] Christie because of this change... There was no arguing, this is what was going to take place. For me, it's to move forward. From past experiences as a player, I've been traded, the day after Christmas from Dallas to Phoenix, thinking they were trading Jimmy [Jackson] or Jamal [Mashburn] and they told me that they were trading me. Just understanding that the train keeps moving and I thought my players and my coaching staff did an incredible job once they heard the news of preparing to keep moving forward. Especially with all the trades and the injuries, I thought we did an incredible job... I didn't cry, I was more or less trying to figure out how we were gonna make this thing work. This is a big trade... I didn't call anybody. I put my phone down and looked at the ceiling and started trying to brainstorm how this is going to go down... My job as the coach is to make sure that we all are pushing in the right direction. There was going to be a lot of questions that morning from staff and players, and I thought Nico did a great job of handling it by having the meeting and for us pushing forward."

Kidd is still dancing around some lines here, especially since Nico Harrison is still his boss. But the point about there being no arguing is interesting. Maybe it was Kidd just accepting that he had a job to do and there was nothing that could change, but it's hard to believe Kidd had no say whatsoever in this decision.

The Mavericks and Kidd were handed a saving grace when they landed the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is expected to be Duke star Cooper Flagg. He's the type of talent who can take a lot of pressure off the coaches and staff.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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