Jason Kidd just exposed the Mavericks' real tanking plan with one move

After months of walking the line, the Dallas Mavericks have finally given in. Wednesday night's loss to the Phoenix Suns was the hardest they've tanked all year, and the way that Jason Kidd handled the rotation at the end of the game proves this.

Jason Kidd's final lineup says everything about the Mavs' real priority

Dallas closed the game with a lineup of John Poulakidas, Tyler Smith, Moussa Cisse, Dwight Powell, and AJ Johnson. None of the Mavericks' starters were on the floor for the final 4:37 of the game, leading them to a 112-107 loss in Phoenix to drop to 25-55 on the year.

Outside of conservative injury timelines and some iffy rotation decisions, Dallas hadn't tanked much to this point. Trading Anthony Davis and shutting down Kyrie Irving for the season were obviously moves that prioritized the future, but they have been trying to win as many games as possible to this point.

They just beat the Los Angeles Lakers at home last weekend, and the Portland Trail Blazers the week before, and they were clearly trying to secure victories in both instances. Dallas hadn't made any rotation decisions at the end of games that suggested they were trying to lose, but Wednesday night was different.

Why losing these final two games is critical

This is an unfortunate strategy, but with just two games remaining, the Mavericks did what had to be done to ensure they have a good shot at securing a co-star for Cooper Flagg in the 2026 NBA Draft. The lottery standings are jam-packed as the season will come to a close this weekend, and Dallas needs every loss that it can get.

Teams around them are implementing even more intense tanking strategies, such as shutting down players, not playing their starters much, and even signing players to 10-day contracts to play for them. The Mavericks haven't sunk this low yet, but they may want to with the circumstances that are in front of them.

Dallas has finally determined that they need to control their own destiny in the lottery standings rather than depending on teams around them to win, and this is the best thing they can do for their future.

The Mavericks now need the Grizzlies to win

They're currently tied with the Memphis Grizzlies for the sixth-best odds of receiving the No. 1 overall pick, and two more Mavs losses combined with a Grizzlies win would give Dallas sole possession of the No. 6 spot in the lottery standings. The Mavericks' only hope here is tomorrow night, as the Grizzlies battle the Utah Jazz on the road. Utah has been tanking as hard as anyone over the last few months, and Memphis coming out on top would be a dream come true for Mavericks fans.

Dallas has nothing to lose and everything to gain by dropping the final two games of the season, and Flagg's future could depend on it. They're in desperate need of more young talent around their young superstar, and this year's draft class is as stacked as we've seen in years.

Winning the lottery again would give Flagg a dream co-star

AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer headline the top of most draft big boards, and the Mavericks landing one of these players to pair with Flagg would be game-changing. Winning the draft lottery again and having the chance to bring in a player like AJ Dybantsa would give them one of the scariest young wing duos in the NBA, and everyone is already buzzing about this opportunity.

One NBA scout told The Smoking Cuban that the potential of a Flagg-Dybantsa duo could rival what the Boston Celtics have with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Losing some games to maximize their chance of turning this dream into a reality is worth it. The Mavericks currently have an 8.2 percent chance of receiving the No. 1 pick, and passing the Grizzlies in the lottery standings will only increase these odds.