Rumors: Jason Kidd 'never wanted' fan-favorite center on the Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks traded for Christian Wood last summer, and most fans expected him to be the answer to Dallas' frontcourt problems.

Seemingly every Mavericks fan was posting about Wood on that night, and there was tremendous excitement surrounding the Mavs and their new big man.

Wood averaged 17.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game in Houston the season before. He was excellent offensively, and it looked like Dallas had a great offensive big man that would complement Luka Doncic beautifully.

Rumors: Jason Kidd "never wanted" fan-favorite center on the Mavericks

But looks can be deceiving.

Even though Wood put up great stats in Dallas, his defense kept him off the floor. He was a bad team defender, and the narrative of Wood never playing on a winning team continued as Dallas missed the playoffs for the first time since Doncic's rookie year.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd and Wood never seemed to be on the same page, and Wood never had a definite role on the team. His minutes fluctuated, and even when he was playing well, it didn't seem like he was vital to Dallas' success.

It was a confusing run for Dallas and Wood, and he signaled that he wouldn't be returning quickly.

Although it was already obvious that Kidd and Wood didn't mesh, a Mavericks Insider added intel to this situation that makes Wood's time in Dallas make even more sense.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon joined Isaac Harris on "Locked On Mavericks" on August 8 and discussed why Wood didn't work in Dallas. Along with talking about his defensive struggles, MacMahon added a comment regarding what Wood's coaches have thought of him.

"The guy, obviously, is an extremely talented offensive player, but every coach he's had does not want him. Frankly, Jason Kidd didn't want him when they made the trade."

Tim MacMahon

This rumor has been floating around the Mavericks world for a while now, and MacMahon cleared the air as he confirmed that Kidd never wanted him. This is still a rumor, but all signs are pointing to it being true.

This is an awful look for Wood, as he still hasn't signed with anyone this offseason, and it doesn't look like he'll receive a contract for more than the veteran's minimum. A player of his caliber is rarely unsigned at this point of the offseason, but his defensive struggles and character could be pushing teams in the other direction.

We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors surrounding the Dallas Mavericks for the rest of the summer, so stay tuned.