Igor Kokoskov's Jason Kidd comments add another layer to Mavericks' Luka Doncic saga

It's been over a year and a half since Luka Doncic was abruptly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of, if not the most, franchise-altering trades in NBA history. Yet, even as time has passed, the shared sentiment of both disbelief and disdain has not.

And while fingers were initially pointed at former general manager Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd's name slowly trickled into the conversation as one of the catalysts of the trade, sharing responsibility (even though he's denied it) for the ill-fated deal.

Of course, besides rampant speculation and Mark Cuban's belief that Kidd was in on the move, who's to say he actually was? Well, if anything, former Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov's experience with Kidd would certainly give him reason to understand where Cuban and Mavs fans are coming from.

Igor Kokoskov's Jason Kidd revelation adds another layer

In a podcast appearance on X&O's Chat, Kokoskov shared his experience working with Kidd during the 2021-22 season and, more importantly, Kidd's apparent distaste, or perhaps even jealousy, toward his relationship with Doncic.

Kokoskov lamented that a year after working alongside Kidd in Dallas, he sat down with the former Mavericks head coach to discuss his relationship with Doncic. Kokoskov assured Kidd it wouldn't interfere with Dallas' coaching hierarchy, but Kidd said he "could never really get over it" because it was "something in his head" and "part of his personal issues."

Following his lone season in Dallas, Kokoskov moved on to Brooklyn, but his comments about Kidd's feelings toward his relationship with Doncic are far more telling when considering Kidd's tenure with the Mavericks.

Jason Kidd's influence in Dallas raises more questions

From the early beginnings of Kidd's coaching career, there appeared to be a growing desire for more influence within any organization he's been a part of, and that makes Kokoskov's account particularly interesting when looking back at how Kidd's relationship with Doncic ultimately unraveled.

A power struggle had been brewing in Dallas well before Doncic was traded. Harrison was the one who ultimately made the move, but Kidd's influence within the organization had become a relevant part of the conversation surrounding the franchise's direction. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that Harrison and Kidd had shared a vision for the culture they wanted to create in Dallas, something that makes Kokoskov's account of Kidd's feelings toward Doncic all the more intriguing.

Without much of an explanation beyond "defense wins championships," who's to say this trade didn't have an ulterior motive? After all, even when Harrison was fired following the fallout from the trade, Kidd lobbied for more responsibility within the Mavericks, eyeing the president of basketball operations role. That was a significant power move, and one that only added more intrigue to Kidd's role in the franchise's direction.

Perhaps that's what makes Kokoskov's comments so interesting when looking back at Kidd's time in Dallas. It wasn't that Kidd disagreed with Kokoskov's relationship with Doncic — he had a problem with the relationship itself, even after being assured it wouldn't affect how Kokoskov operated as an assistant coach.

That itself ups the ante, considering Kidd's longstanding desire for power. After Harrison was fired, Kidd reportedly sought the president of basketball operations role, demonstrating that his ambitions within the Mavericks extended beyond coaching. Couple that with Kokoskov's account, and it paints a tantalizing picture of how Kidd viewed his influence around Doncic.

Again, none of the evidence proves Kidd played a major role in trading Doncic, but Kokoskov's account adds another layer to the seemingly never-ending saga.

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