Mavericks: 5 ways it could be different for Jason Kidd as head coach in Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks are about to undergo significant changes in their decision-making. Owner Mark Cuban will retain the final say, but president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and head coach Rick Carlisle are gone. The Mavs will have new voices for the first time in over a decade.

They are focused on hiring Nico Harrison as their president of basketball operations and filling their head coaching vacancy with Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd. Both men are on the verge of joining the franchise with Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki set to have important voices in the team’s front office.

Kidd played eight seasons in Dallas, including being the starting point guard on their 2011 championship team. He has a strong relationship with the franchise’s GOAT, but Kidd’s first two stints as a head coach did not go as planned.

How will could be different for Jason Kidd with the Dallas Mavericks?

Kidd retired after 19 seasons as a player in 2013 and immediately became the Brooklyn Nets head coach. They finished 44-38 and made it to the second round of the playoffs with J-Kidd at the helm. He was traded to Milwaukee Bucks in the offseason after wanting full control over the Nets’ personnel decisions.

Kidd spent four seasons as head coach of the Bucks. They made the playoffs twice, but the Hall of Fame point guard was fired after 45 games in the fourth year. His time in Milwaukee was considered an underachievement. SB Nation did a fantastic profile on why Kidd was fired by the Bucks in 2018.

He spent the last two years as an assistant for the Lakers, including winning the championship in 2020. Here is a look at five reasons it could be different for Jason Kidd as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

Next: No. 5

Way it could be different for Jason Kidd with Dallas Mavericks: 5. Full backing from management

Mavs new president of basketball operations Nico Harrison has a longstanding relationship with Kidd. He had a say in the hire. Kidd is also close with Dirk Nowitzki, Michael Finely, and owner Mark Cuban. He has the support of all the Mavericks key decision-makers.

Kidd did not always have that in Milwaukee, especially towards the end of his tenure. The young coach wanted a say in personnel decisions, which the Bucks front office felt overstepped his boundaries.

The Mavericks do things differently. Coach Rick Carlisle had a say in those calls as did others with owner Mark Cuban making the final decision. Could Kidd get that type of power in Dallas? The Mavs may be looking to change that leadership approach after their recent front office turmoil or J-Kidd may have learned from his time in Milwaukee to accept his role.

Either way, Jason Kidd should have the full backing of the owner and front office with the Dallas Mavericks. That allows him to start off on the right foot and gives the Hall of Fame point guard a chance to make this the most successful coaching stop in his career.

Next: No. 4

Way it could be different for Jason Kidd with Dallas Mavericks: 4. Better relationships with players

Kidd was an old-school coach that was never afraid to call out his players in Milwaukee. He would do it in film sessions and during timeouts. It rubbed some players the wrong way, but others thrived on it. Khris Middleton was quoted as saying, “I loved it”. And “He fired me”, about Kidd’s coaching style. Middleton went from second-round pick playing on his second team into a borderline All-Star under Kidd.

Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a fantastic relationship with his former coach. Kidd took him from second-year starter to two-time All-Star in his four seasons in Milwaukee. Giannis had this to say about J-Kidd in 2019 to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

"“I was used to Jason Kidd. He was breaking us down, but I was happy about it. I think I was the only one that was embracing that. I came from nothing and worked hard every day. That’s what I was used to.”"

Kidd is going to bring that hard-nosed style to Dallas. It will not be for every player, but the Hall of Famer helped the Bucks’ current stars blossom.

Kidd did not have a positive relationship with Jabari Parker, and he arguably spent too much time working with the stars in Milwaukee. It will be interesting to see if his philosophy changed after spending two seasons as an assistant in Los Angeles.

Jason Kidd must have a better relationship with all of his players in Dallas. He cannot just have a rapport with the star talent.

Next: No. 3

Way it could be different for Jason Kidd with Dallas Mavericks: 3. Style adjustments

Jason Kidd put an aggressive defense in place during his time in Milwaukee that involved pressuring the ball and trying to create turnovers. It was successful during his first season, but the Bucks slipped to 22nd and 19th in defensive rating in his final two full seasons as head coach. They sat 25th when he fired after 45 games in 2018.

The Hall of Famer cannot bring that defense with him to Dallas. He needs to find a different way to slow down the opposition. The Mavericks have struggled on the defensive end in their three seasons with Luka Doncic. They cannot afford to fall further behind an exotic defensive scheme.

Kidd may also have to adjust his abrasive style. Challenging players is fantastic and can bring the best out of them, but there is a time and place. Jason Kidd needs to have his entire roster on the same page if they are going to make a deep playoff run in 2022.

Jason Kidd must be willing to make a few style adjustments to have a successful run as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Does he accomplish it? It could be Kidd’s ticket to success in Dallas.

Next: No. 2

Way it could be different for Jason Kidd with Dallas Mavericks: 2. Learn from past mistakes

Kidd did plenty of positive things during his time with the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo transformed into a superstar under J-Kidd. Khris Middleton improved tremendously. He helped the Bucks get back to the playoffs and jumpstarted their current run of five straight playoff appearances. Kidd was fired because of his mistakes.

The 48-year-old should not be pushing for more power with the Mavericks. It was part of the reason behind him moving on in both of his previous two head coaching stops. Kidd needs to accept his role and work with the front office to build a successful roster.

Jason Kidd must pick his battles and moments in Dallas. His old-school coaching style is not for every player. Kidd needs to learn to adapt and get the most out of everyone on his roster. He cannot just focus on improving and maximizing the star talent. The Mavericks want to win a championship. That is going to take contributions from every player on the roster through the season.

Jason Kidd has a history of burning bridges too. He needs to be a bit more personable and work on his relationship building. Dirk, Finley, Cuban, and Harrison all seem to believe in Kidd. He needs to earn the trust of all his players too.

Next: No. 1

Way it could be different for Jason Kidd with Dallas Mavericks: 1. Luka Doncic

Giannis was on his way to superstardom under Jason Kidd, but he was not as polished as Luka Doncic is now. Jason Kidd immediately gets to coach a top-five player in the NBA. The 22-year-old will have the Mavericks in the playoffs. Luka’s ability to win a game is different than what Kidd had in Milwaukee or Brooklyn.

Kidd needs to build an outstanding relationship with Doncic. The Mavericks are going to go as far as their 22-year-old superstar takes them. The two point guards share incredible court vision and playmaking ability. Luka and J-Kidd are going to clash from time to time. They need to build a relationship that can withstand those clashes, so they can maximize each other.

Jason Kidd could help Luka Doncic take his game to another level. He should have a hand in the 22-year-old improving his jumper, reading the game, and adding a few tricks to his tool kit. If they form a strong relationship, Kidd and Luka could accomplish special things in Dallas. Do not be surprised to see Doncic win his first MVP award with J-Kidd as head coach.

The Dallas Mavericks are giving Jason Kidd his third chance at being an NBA head coach. Will the third time be the charm? Stay tuned to find out.