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Mavericks' Jason Kidd move could cause a Kyrie Irving problem fans would hate

What if Kyrie Irving hates Masai Ujiri's decision to part ways with Jason Kidd?
Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks, Kyrie Irving | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Last night, the Dallas Mavericks and Masai Ujiri decided to part ways with Jason Kidd after five seasons with the team. Now, less than 24 hours later, Mavericks fans are wondering how the players will react. One player who may not take this news lightly is Kyrie Irving, who is entering the second year of a three-year contract with Dallas.

Irving and Kidd built an extremely close relationship over the last few years, and if Irving hates Ujiri's decision to abruptly part with Kidd, this could result in him asking to be traded. This is one of the worst potential situations that could come with Dallas' decision to move on from their former head coach, and the possibility is there.

Not having one of your star players on the same page as the front office for a big move like this is a major risk, and if Ujiri didn't consult with Irving beforehand, the Mavericks may have a big problem on their hands.

Mavericks fans have fallen in love with Irving, and a future without him would be something that no one wants to endure. MFFLs already had Luka Doncic taken away from them, and Irving getting moved would be a major gut punch as well.

Kyrie Irving's future could be in doubt

Ujiri has made it clear that this is his team now by parting with Kidd and hiring his own general manager, Mike Schmitz, and Irving may not want to start fresh without the coach who helped take him to the NBA Finals in 2024.

When Irving was traded to the Mavericks in 2023, he and Kidd quickly formed a tight bond. Kidd helped turn Luka Doncic and Irving into one of the best duos in franchise history, and Dallas became the perfect place for Irving after a stressful stint with the Brooklyn Nets. Coach Kidd was a big reason that Irving became so comfortable in Dallas, and the Hall-of-Fame point guard did a great job of passing his wisdom down to Irving.

The two had built a relationship before Irving arrived in Dallas, as Irving grew up in New Jersey and watched Kidd while he was playing for the New Jersey Nets. He admired Kidd during his childhood, and Kidd clearly admired Irving.

Now, one of the people who welcomed Irving to Dallas in 2023 is gone. The two always spoke highly of each other and were on the same page, and Irving could request a trade as Ujiri looks to start a new era of Mavericks basketball. Ujiri has made it clear that the Mavs are Cooper Flagg's team now, and they are trying to win in the future rather than pushing all their chips in right now.

This doesn't mean that Dallas won't try to win games next season, but it does mean that they're not in a rush. With Irving being 34 years old and coming off an ACL tear, this could result in a timeline mismatch. Ujiri has already said that he's excited to watch Irving and Flagg play together, and even if Dallas doesn't want to trade Irving, the trade interest is bound to come in.

Contenders would line up for Irving

Any borderline contender would benefit from having a star point guard like Irving as their floor general, and with the Mavs' scarce draft capital, a team could send them an offer that's too good to turn down.

This is the reality that the Mavericks are in, and with Irving entering his fourth full season with the Mavericks, he may not be ready to rebuild. He knows that he can be a huge contributor on a team trying to win the NBA Finals right now, and Kidd's exit may get his mind racing about where his future should lie.

Jason Kidd and Kyrie Irving's relationship can't be overlooked when thinking about what Dallas' next move will be with Irving, as he could be the next person of the organization on the way out.

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