Mavericks coach Jason Kidd makes lofty prediction for 11th-year guard

After last season ended, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said that many of the players from last year's team wouldn't be back.

Dallas had just tanked their final two games of the regular season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

That was the last thing that fans expected to happen as the Mavs made a midseason blockbuster to acquire Kyrie Irving, but it hadn't worked out how they expected.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd makes lofty prediction for 11th-year guard

In order to try to make sure what happened last year doesn't happen again, Dallas made some big pickups in free agency and the draft. They signed Seth Curry, traded for Grant Williams (sign and trade), and drafted Olivier-Maxence Prosper and Dereck Lively II.

This is just a handful of the moves they made, but each move they made this summer was strategic as it addressed a specific need. One of Dallas' biggest moves was trading back into the first round of the draft to take Prosper, and it looks like Kidd has a major role planned for him.

It sounds like Prosper will be in the starting lineup during training camp and the early preseason. He will be fighting with Josh Green for this spot, and it sounds like one routine starter from the last few years is moving to the bench.

Tim Hardaway Jr. will likely be Dallas' first guard off the bench, and Kidd has some big predictions for him in that role.

Kidd was on "The Saturday Stein Line with Marc Stein" on September 23, and he talked about Hardaway Jr. being in that bench role.

"I'm excited, again for Timmy (Tim Hardaway Jr.), looking to talk to him about being Sixth Man of the Year. That would help our team, put us in a really good seat if he's up for Sixth Man of the Year and I think he's capable of doing that."

- Jason Kidd

Hardaway Jr. is someone who has bought into his role for his entire tenure in Dallas, and he will likely be more than willing to move to the bench if that is what is best for the team. Last season for Dallas, Hardaway Jr. averaged 14.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 0.7 steals per game while shooting 38.5 percent from downtown.

Hardaway Jr. was starting to find his stride at the end of the year and plays great with Irving on the floor, and as Kidd said, he could be in the running for Sixth Man of the Year.

Will Tim Hardaway Jr. thrive in his role off the bench and win Sixth Man of the Year?

That question will be answered this season, and we'll have you covered.