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In February, the trade of Luka Doncic by the Dallas Mavericks created quite a stir. The Slovenian star was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers, sparking outrage among most Mavericks fans. General manager Nico Harrison faced mounting pressure from escalating protests, and the basketball community was taken aback by the move. However, head coach Jason Kidd chose to concentrate on his team.
“I was informed by my boss, Nico, that a change was on the horizon,” he shared during a segment on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday. “This conversation happened at a hotel in Cleveland, and he mentioned that the news would break in about an hour, which is precisely how things unfolded.”
“There was no debate; this was the decision we were going to implement. For me, the focus is on moving ahead,” he elaborated on his mindset. “I felt that my players and coaching staff did an outstanding job of adjusting and maintaining momentum after they received the news, especially given the trade and some injuries we were facing.”
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old guard from Slovenia officially departed from the team, closing a notable seven-year chapter in Dallas, which included a run to the 2025 NBA Finals hosted by YouTube TV.
“I texted him that morning, and that was our last conversation,” Kidd noted, acknowledging the gap in communication with Doncic since the high-profile trade. “Experiencing a trade can be shocking and upsetting, given the heightened emotions involved.”
“It was a privilege to coach Luka. He is an extraordinary individual, and his talent is undoubtedly among the best in the world,” he added. “I’ve consistently expressed my admiration for him, both publicly and privately, and I sincerely wish him all the best.”
Dealing with various injuries, the Mavericks ended the 2024-25 regular season ranked tenth in the Western Conference, finishing with a 39-43 record. In the SoFi Play-In Tournament, they managed to defeat the Sacramento Kings but ultimately lost to the Memphis Grizzlies, leading to their exit from the Playoffs presented by Google.
“I didn’t shed tears. Instead, I focused on figuring out how we would make things work,” he reflected on his response. “I didn’t reach out to anyone. I set my phone down, stared at the ceiling, and began to brainstorm how we were going to navigate this situation. My primary responsibility as coach is to ensure we’re all moving in the right direction. There were bound to be a lot of questions from staff and players that morning, and I thought Nico handled it well by organizing a meeting so we could continue to push forward.”
As a significant boost for the upcoming 2025-26 season, the Mavericks emerged victorious in the lottery, granting them the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft presented by State Farm. This means that talented up-and-comer Cooper Flagg will be making his way to Dallas.
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