Jason Kidd takes aim at the unspoken Luka Doncic after Mavs trade

Jason Kidd, 51, became head coach of the Dallas Mavericks in 2021 after rebuilding his reputation during his time with the LA Lakers, where he was a key assistant to Frank Vogel on the team that won the championship in the Florida bubble in 2020. With the Texas franchise, Kidd led the Mavericks to last season’s NBA Finals after an exceptional run through the Western Conference, thanks to a strengthened and well-balanced rotation – bolstered in the previous winter market with the arrivals of P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford – and, of course, Luka Doncic as the team’s undisputed leader.

Kidd confident in Mavs after trading Doncic

However, following Doncic’s trade to the Lakers, Kidd has aligned himself with the organization, taking a corporate stance in support of his franchise, which has struggled to provide clear explanations – from Nico Harrison’s misstepsto the public challenges of new owner Patrick Dumont. Initially, Kidd spoke simply about improving the team that had reached the Finals and even hinted – somewhat surprisingly – that not having Doncic might be the key to making that final leap from conference champions to NBA champions: “Reaching the Finals was an incredible experience, but we came away feeling like we needed to improve. And that’s exactly what we’re doing as part of this journey. This is just the beginning, and we hope that with these changes, we can make it back to the NBA Finals – this time, to win.”

After the Mavericks’ final game before the All-Star break, Kidd used a question about Kyrie Irving’s leadership and the team’s strong form – despite the midseason shake-up and a wave of injuries among big men (Anthony Davis, Gafford, Dereck Lively II, Washington, Dwight Powell) – to send what was clearly a veiled jab at Doncic, whom he didn’t even name: “Now everyone is going to get more shots simply because the player we traded is no longer here, the one who was involved in everything on the court.” For Kidd, it seems, the new system without Doncic will allow the rest of the team to shine.

Mavs no longer Doncic-dependent

With that remark, Kidd took aim at the Mavs’ previous style of play – a system he himself oversaw – in which everything revolved around Doncic, who had one of the highest usage rates in the league, meaning he dictated nearly every offensive possession. But the formula worked, of course: thanks to the Slovenian’s scoring ability and, more importantly, his elite vision – finding open teammates for perimeter shots or interior finishes. Now, the question remains whether, as Kidd suggests, and despite what most Mavericks fans believe, the key to raising the team’s ceiling was, paradoxically, trading away their 25-year-old franchise player.

Kidd change of heart post-Doncic

What’s striking is how different his words sound compared to what he said about Doncic when the Mavericks won the Western Conference and reached the NBA Finals: “He’s the one who made it clear to his teammates that this was the moment, that everyone had to step up. He sent the invitations, and the rest of the team responded. We believe Luka is already one of the greats, but we’ll leave it to the media to decide where he ranks among the all-time best.”

Later, during the Finals series against the Celtics, Doncic was criticized for his lack of physical energy and defensive lapses. Kidd came to his defense with conviction: “People are saying things that aren’t fair, things he doesn’t deserve. Nobody’s perfect, so come on, give me a break and let him play – that’s why we’re all here, to watch and enjoy him. He’s 25 years old and still improving. He’s already better on defense, and now some people expect him to be a specialist. Well, he’s not on the All-Defensive Team, but he’s on the All-NBA First Team, which means he’s one of the five best players in the world. And he’s doing things the way they should be done.”

Less than a year later, as his bosses have made a controversial decision – one that could prove disastrous for the Mavericks’ future – Kidd seems to see things very differently...

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