Giannis Antetokounmpo's praise for Mavericks coach sparks Dallas speculation

The Dallas Mavericks' core for the next two to three years is centered around Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic.

Dallas traded serious draft capital and two starters to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Irving at the trade deadline in February but ended up missing the playoffs for the first time since Doncic's rookie year.

That is not how anyone expected the season to end, as Dallas plummeted in the standings after trading for Irving, but it seems that they have confidence the star duo can make it work.

The Mavs re-signed Irving to a three-year deal this offseason, but this time isn't guaranteed, as Dallas could end up moving him if things don't work out. Dallas has to do whatever they can to keep Doncic happy and put them in the best position to win.

If Irving and Doncic don't fit together, they'll move on. Irving can also opt out of his contract after the second year, and that just happens to line up with one of the best players in the NBA's contract.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo can become a free agent after two seasons, and his recent comments show that he is locked in on winning (as usual), whether that is in Milwaukee or elsewhere.

Antetokounmpo was recently on the "48 Minutes" podcast, and when playing Word Association (the game where you have to say the first thing that comes to mind when someone says a different word or phrase), Giannis had something interesting to say when asked about Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.

Giannis' one-word answer was "genius."

Kidd coached Antetokounmpo for three and a half seasons in Milwaukee, and there is an obvious connection there. Giannis was reportedly "devastated" when the Bucks fired Kidd in the middle of the 2017-2018 season, and he wanted to try to help save Kidd's job.

This is a great sign for Mavericks fans, as Giannis seems to be a big fan of Kidd and his coaching style, and that could end up leading Antetokounmpo to Dallas in free agency in the summer of 2025.

This is all hypothetical at this point, but if Milwaukee doesn't win a championship in the next two years and Giannis wants to go play elsewhere, Dallas could be a team to watch out for.

Antetokounmpo would be a great fit next to Doncic, and they would have the chance to run the league for years to come. He would also have the chance to play for Kidd again, and he could be a big part of Giannis' decision in free agency, as no one wants to play for a coach they don't like.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jason Kidd already seem to have a good relationship, and it would set the league on fire if he signed with Dallas.

We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors surrounding the Dallas Mavericks this season, so stay tuned.