Kidd hints at Mavericks making key free agency mistake to fix Kyrie Irving problem

Ever since the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1, they've had a major hole at guard. Even though they had Kyrie Irving on the roster, he wasn't going to be enough to carry Doncic's load and his own.

The Mavericks didn't add another guard at the trade deadline who could help Irving pick up Doncic's workload, and with Irving tearing his ACL in March, their need for a guard this summer has increased even more. It's been known for weeks that Dallas is looking to add guard depth via the trade market or free agency during the offseason, and Mavs head coach Jason Kidd recently talked about how they plan to address this hole on the DLLS Mavs Podcast.

Kidd discussed how the Mavericks may "look for a player to fill that void until (Irving) can get back" while also being able to play alongside Irving once he is healthy, but his next take could lead the Mavericks into a free agency trap that fans know all too well from last summer.

Mavericks can't settle for average when signing a guard to replace Irving

Kidd said that the guard they sign or trade for this summer may be someone who "might not play as much when Kai comes back." While this seems like a normal take, as other guards on the team's minutes will naturally go down when Irving returns, the Mavericks must avoid not finding a huge upgrade at this spot. They can't settle with their current roster, and some big changes within the backcourt must occur for them to become true contenders.

They need someone who can and will play big minutes, even after Irving is back in the lineup, and they can't expect a veteran minimum signing to be their saving grace from this predicament. Dallas thought that Spencer Dinwiddie was going to give them enough production last season after signing him to a veteran minimum contract, and while he was extremely reliable as he played in 79 games and led the team in minutes, he was not the same player he once was.

Nico Harrison and the Mavericks brass have to be intentional when building their roster for next season, and that all starts with finding a guard who provides them with shooting and playmaking while also being a good fit with or without Irving in the lineup. They can't expect Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy to replace Irving's production until early 2026, and free agency or the trade market is going to be the best way to help fill Irving's shoes for a few months.

If the Mavs don't like any of their options on other teams (players who could get traded) or free agency, they could even consider trading into the second half of the first round and acquiring their point guard of the future that way. They would be landing a player on a cost-controlled deal who is also young, and now that Cooper Flagg is in the mix, they have to be building some for the future while simultaneously trying to win a title right now with Irving and Anthony Davis leading the way.

While Kidd's comment should be taken with a grain of salt, considering that free agency is over a month away, it remains true that the Mavs can't settle for mediocrity when addressing their backcourt problem. They have to strategically weigh all options when searching for a player who can start at point guard until Irving comes back, and an end-of-bench guy or someone on a veteran minimum deal likely won't suffice.