Nuggets' shocking firing proves Kidd and Mavericks aren't safe from disaster either

The Dallas Mavericks exceeded expectations last season when they advanced to the NBA Finals as a fifth seed. Luka Doncic was the leading man as he helped the Mavs beat three of the top teams in the Western Conference on their way there. It was an exciting time for Dallas fans since it was their first NBA Finals appearance since 2011.

However, last postseason's joy was taken away as injuries piled up this season. Multiple players, like Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and P.J. Washington, missed significant time this season as they dealt with various injuries. The biggest blow was when Kyrie Irving suffered an ACL tear last month that sidelined him for the rest of the season.

The main tearjerker, though, was Nico Harrison trading Luka Doncic. No one saw the trade coming, and the whole city was blindsided. "Fire Nico" chants began to erupt at Mavs games as fans voiced their frustration about the trade. It was clear last postseason's success had been thrown out the window, and the team was headed in a different direction.

Michael Malone's firing proves no head coach is safe, even Jason Kidd

Fast forward to now, and a lot of things have changed. For starters, Dallas is gearing up for its first-ever Play-In Tournament appearance. The team will face the Sacramento Kings for a chance at making the playoffs on Wednesday night. Dallas will need to beat the Kings and then win the second game of the tournament against the Memphis Grizzlies if they hope to have a chance at facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

This means that if Dallas loses against the Kings on Wednesday, their season will officially end. It would be devastating to a team that made the NBA Finals last season. This also signifies that the team's road to a championship will be even harder, as Dallas will likely open up next season without Irving.

If the Mavs lose to the Kings on Wednesday, could the front office be forced to make changes? Or what about next season? What if Dallas struggles to get off to a hot start? Could they do the unthinkable and blame Jason Kidd?

It's possible. If you recall, the Denver Nuggets fired former head coach Michael Malone last week after he failed to meet the team's expectations. The firing shocked the NBA, as Malone helped the Nuggets win the finals two seasons ago.

Malone wasn't the first championship head coach to get ousted. Three seasons ago, the Milwaukee Bucks fired Mike Budenholzer after he struggled in the postseason. Other championship coaches like Nick Burse and Frank Vogel were fired years after winning a title, and the Grizzlies fired Taylor Jenkins a few weeks ago out of nowhere. Simply put, no coach is safe in the modern NBA.

These moves show that no one is safe, not even Jason Kidd. While Kidd is good friends with Harrison, he could pull the plug if he doesn't like the direction of the season and the team. Nothing can be ruled out after the Doncic trade. Harrison has reiterated that a championship is on the horizon, and he'll need Kidd to make all the right decisions if his vision is to come true.

It's also possible that Harrison could replace Kidd with Malone one day. It's a proposal that has a lot of moving parts. For example, the Mavericks could press the reset button after losing a generational player. While Dallas could struggle the next few months without Irving, the blame would be put on Kidd, even though he had to work with whatever he had.

So, anything is possible with Nico Harrison at the head. Jason Kidd must do the unthinkable and help the Mavs become the first 10th seed to make the playoffs. Could a win on Wednesday be the key to Kidd's job security? All these answers could be fulfilled this week if the Mavs' season continues.