Kidd gets brutally honest about Mavs youngster's revival after 'terrible' start

Jason Kidd is as real as it gets when it comes to coaches in the NBA.

You may not like what he has to say, but he commands respect from his players due to his calm demeanor and long-lived basketball mind from playing 19 years in the NBA. He may not be the best X's and O's coach on the market, but he manages his players as well as anyone in the NBA.

Kidd relates to everyone on the squad, and even though he is tough on his guys when he needs to be, the Dallas Mavericks believe in him and what he can bring to this team moving forward.

Dallas wrapped up the preseason on Thursday night with a blowout win over the Milwaukee Bucks at the American Airlines Center, and despite his team putting on a good showing in this game, he got brutally honest about how one of his players arose from a struggling start due to hard work and dedication.

Gortman battles back from 'terrible' start to become preseason standout

After the game, Kidd was asked about what he thought of preseason standout Jazian Gortman's overall game, and he didn't hold back when discussing how he looked at the beginning of his tenure with the Mavs over the summer.

"He was terrible in Summer League," Kidd admitted. "For what he’s put in, the time that he’s put in, he’s worked extremely hard. Just shows that you can fail and fall, as long as you have a group that believes in you and you believe in yourself, and you’re gonna do the work, good things will happen."

Kidd went on to talk about how Gortman never stopped working after a rough Summer League stint and did everything that the Mavs asked him to do. Gortman took "full advantage" of the opportunity that the Mavs provided him with this preseason, and now it's up to management to decide if he is going to remain with the Mavs on a two-way deal or not.

Gortman has played well enough to command a new contract with Dallas, and the next few days will determine his fate moving forward. He averaged 10.3 points, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in the preseason while shooting 51.6 percent from the field and an incredible 57.1 percent from downtown, and Kidd seems extremely high on him and what he can bring to the floor.

Before the game, Kidd complimented Gortman's ability to play alongside and against star players, and being able to play with stars is crucial for guards to succeed in Dallas' system. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving run the show, but Gortman has shown the ability to be an effective off-ball scorer as well as an initiator when needed, and those have to be attractive qualities that the front office sees when evaluating his game.

On the other end of the floor, Gortman is the ultimate competitor. He picks up 94 feet when needed, and his competitiveness, drive, and motor are what set him apart. Gortman isn't afraid of anyone, and his 6-foot-9 wingspan helps him be the ultimate defensive pest despite only being 6-foot-2.

Gortman's journey over the last few months is something that seems to have really impressed the coaching staff in the preseason, and he is someone who could end up on a two-way deal by the time the season rolls around. Dallas now has a two-way spot available as they cut A.J. Lawson on Friday morning, and Gortman's strong play in the preseason is going to make it tough for Kidd to keep him off the roster.