Mavericks had to move on from Jason Kidd to have a shot at bringing Luka Doncic home

The Dallas Mavericks made a huge move under Masai Ujiri on Tuesday night, as they parted ways with head coach Jason Kidd after five seasons. It's a move that signals a new era in Dallas, as the team tries to move on from the mess Nico Harrison created and get back to winning.

The only way Dallas could have a chance of bringing Luka Doncic home one day is by getting rid of the alleged final piece of the puzzle, Jason Kidd. The former coach already damaged his reputation with the entire fan base and Doncic by having key knowledge of the trade, despite denying the claims that he knew about the move before it happened. So, moving on from Kidd needed to be done, as it's clear that Doncic's relationship with the coach will forever be tarnished.

Kidd is the one person from within the organization that Doncic won't talk to when Dallas takes on the Los Angeles Lakers in games, and this is telling of how the Slovenian superstar feels about his former coach. Not having him on staff was a needed move if they choose to pursue Doncic in free agency next summer (assuming he declines his player option with the Lakers), and Dallas may quietly be one step closer to bringing him home.

Kidd's connection to the Luka Doncic trade can't be undone

Coach Kidd's resume looks great on paper. He helped the team make two deep playoff runs in five seasons, including a 2024 NBA Finals appearance. An important part of his success during his career has been his connections with his players; he helped develop star players like Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

However, his connection to the Luka Doncic trade can't be undone. The Mavs' coach was thrown under the bus last month when former owner Mark Cuban spoke on Kidd's connection to the trade. Basically, he implied that Kidd was part of the group that traded Dallas' best player.

Tim MacMahon even alluded to Kidd knowing of the trade earlier this season. The ESPN reporter spoke about the coach's acting skills, explaining that Kidd fooled fans by acting like he had no idea about the trade until Nico Harrison told him the night that it was reported. This again makes it hard to believe Kidd had no involvement in the trade.

Yet, Kidd has denied his involvement, explaining he never knew about the trade until it actually happened. Although his involvement is something fans are torn about, as they do not know who to believe. This is especially true because fans have seen how Doncic acknowledges Kidd; he makes it clear his relationship with his former coach is over.

Doncic could consider a return after Kidd's departure

Luka Doncic believed he would finish his career as a Dallas Maverick. He was supposed to be a Maverick for life. It's also why he holds a lot of animosity towards the organization, especially coach Jason Kidd.

Whenever the Mavs play against the Los Angeles Lakers, Doncic made it a clear point to greet his former teammates and former owner Mark Cuban. Kidd, though, received no recognition. Doncic even refused to speak to Kidd after games. He clearly believes the coach took part in the infamous trade, or at the very least, he doesn't like him.

Dallas needed to move on from the Kidd experiment if they had any chance at convincing Doncic to return in free agency after next season. They got rid of Nico Harrison, which was a step in the right direction, and knew letting Kidd go was the next best move.

Kidd's involvement in the Luka Doncic trade and his relationship with the former Maverick were too much to bear. The Mavericks needed to clean house and move on from everything Nico Harrisson left behind, including Kidd.

It's a new era in Dallas basketball. Mavs fans can only hope Masai Ujiri makes the right decision in the next hiring, as the idea of Luka Doncic in a Dallas Mavericks uniform is exciting.

Getting rid of a coach that he didn't like was a great first step in the process, and time will tell if Mavericks fans' dream move of pairing Doncic with Cooper Flagg ever gains real traction.

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