Jason Kidd teases game-changing tweak for Mavericks to become unstoppable force

The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex just got through its annual winter storm over the weekend, but the storm of the regular season is just getting started for the Dallas Mavericks. They are currently having to find ways to win without Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving at the start of 2025, and this is no easy task.

Before yesterday's loss to the Denver Nuggets, Dallas found a way to claw out two wins in a row, one against the Los Angeles Lakers and one against the Portland Trail Blazers, and their depth shined bright. Jaden Hardy continues to be a force off the bench, and P.J. Washington also continues to put together some strong performances.

Another Maverick who has taken a major step without Doncic and Irving in the lineup is Quentin Grimes, as he has stepped into his role beautifully. Jason Kidd is allowing him to handle the ball much more than we're used to, and this small tweak to his role has been pivotal in his recent breakout.

Before Grimes' quiet performance against Denver on Sunday, he averaged over five assists per contest over the previous four games, and his ability to occasionally operate out of the pick and roll combined with his willing passing when getting downhill was intriguing. Grimes grew up being a facilitator and gifted passer, and that's something we could see Kidd utilize more moving forward.

Kidd wants Grimes to facilitate more once Irving and Doncic return

After Dallas' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers just over a week ago, Grimes dropped 26 points while dishing out six assists, and Kidd was pleased with what he saw from Grimes as a playmaker.

"He showed tonight that he can play make, so hopefully we can add that to the playbook in a sense of not relying just on Kai and Luka," Kidd said of Grimes.

Kidd continued to talk about how he likes Grimes' aggressiveness and ability to get to the rim, but the main takeaway from his assessment of Grimes' game was finding ways to allow him to continue to be an initiator even when Doncic and Irving are healthy.

Of course, Kidd understands that Doncic and Irving are going to be taking care of most of the ball-handling duties once they return, but that doesn't mean that they can't mix in different ways for Grimes to be involved as a playmaker as well. Grimes is a willing passer, and he is a good connector who keeps the offense flowing strongly.

When sharing the floor with Doncic and Irving, Kidd can utilize Grimes as someone to bring the ball up the floor before Doncic or Irving gets the offense into an initial reaction, and Kidd being able to trust him to do this should help the superstars conserve some energy.

Outside of that, Grimes can attack closeouts and utilize two-on-one advantages when attacking the rim, as he thrives when having to make dump-off passes to the big men. He has great chemistry with both Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, and he is going to have plenty of opportunities to play make when he is sharing the floor with either one of them. Grimes throws good entry passes when needed, and he is always looking for ways to get the bigs involved.

Outside of that, Grimes will be tasked with mostly being a spot-up shooter when he is sharing the floor with both Irving and Doncic, but things will open up a bit when he is only sharing the floor with one of them. He has mostly been a secondary initiator with Spencer Dinwiddie being a primary initiator while both Doncic and Irving are out, and that seems to be his best fit moving forward.

His point guard skills from back in the day are coming back as of late, and Mavericks fans should be excited about the different lineup combinations and ideas that Kidd can unveil moving forward revolving around him. Dallas is truly at their best when Grimes is playing big minutes and can be himself, and this type of tweak to his role could be revolutionary for him as Dallas eyes another long playoff run.