Mavericks' sudden Jason Kidd move couldn't have come at a more perfect time

At the beginning of the offseason, the Dallas Mavericks' coaching drama couldn't be at a higher all-time high with coaches like Jared Dudley and Sean Sweeney leaving Dallas for other rival teams. While plenty of fans expected the Mavericks to have a high turnover rate this offseason, no fan could have prepared for the Jason Kidd and New York Knicks saga that almost broke the hearts of every Mavericks fan.

Although Kidd to the Knicks would fizzle out as soon as the chatter began about him potentially leaving for New York, the Mavericks finally doubled down on their franchise coach in a move that should have happened a long time ago. In a move that was perhaps the most critical contract signing for the Mavericks this summer, the team finally doubled down on Kidd and his leadership by signing him to a multi-year contract extension.

Kidd is not only a major part of the Mavericks and their success this season and in past years, but Kidd has a track record of forming promising rookies into generational superstars. Now, with Cooper Flagg on the roster and at the forefront of Dallas' future, Kidd may have the perfect opportunity to mold Flagg into the NBA's next generational star after signing his contract extension.

Locking down Kidd for the future is the best outcome for Cooper Flagg

Kidd's previous head coaching stops may not have been anything to hold out hope over, considering he was fired in both Milwaukee and Brooklyn before making a true impact, but there is one thing that Kidd did as a Buck that nobody can deny. During his time with the Milwaukee Bucks, Kidd helped Giannis Antetokounmpo become the star he is today by giving him the ball in almost every possible scenario.

Now, over a decade removed from his time with the Bucks, Kidd has the perfect opportunity to form another generational star with Flagg and also make a lasting impact as a coach. The Mavericks have already shown their willingness to give Flagg the ball as a potential lead guard, but with Kidd locked down for the long-term future, Flagg can expect a full dosage of development on the ball for longer than just his rookie or sophomore season.

Entering the NBA, Flagg had little to no holes in his game, but one aspect of his offense that needed work was his offensive game and shooting. Since joining the Mavericks, Flagg has only played in three preseason games and two Las Vegas Summer League outings, but there is already a clear night-and-day difference in his offensive game.

Against the Utah Jazz in his third-ever preseason outing, Flagg led the team with D'Angelo Russell out for the night and carried much of the play-making workload as he finished his night with 11 points. While there were moments throughout the first half that indicated Flagg may need some help handling the ball, his ability to put defenses on their heels early in the shot clock and find open teammates was one of the most insightful things fans could pick up on.

It's hard to imagine that Flagg would get this much of a workload this early into the season, but Kidd has already shown a willingness to make Flagg as uncomfortable as he can be and find out what works and what doesn't. There's no doubt that Kidd's philosophy with the rookie stud will have its cringe moments, but the overall positive that can come out of this experiment could truly make Flagg the next best player in the NBA.