Mavericks, Jason Kidd reportedly agree to part ways

The Mavericks are officially hitting reset.

According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Mavericks and coach Jason Kidd have mutually agreed to part ways less than a month after Dallas hired Masai Ujiri to oversee basketball operations.

And honestly, the timing says a lot.

Ujiri was brought in to reshape the franchise following a disastrous season that spiraled after the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

Injuries piled up afterward, the Mavericks stumbled to a 26-56 record, and now Kidd is out despite signing an extension just last offseason.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Kidd still had four years and more than $40 million remaining on his contract.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Ujiri and owner Patrick Dumont reached the decision this week to move in another direction.

“Jason has had a meaningful impact on the Dallas Mavericks,” Ujiri said in a statement released by the team. “We are thankful for Jason’s leadership, his professionalism and his commitment to the team.”

To be fair, Kidd did have success in Dallas before everything unraveled.

The Mavericks reached the Western Conference finals in 2022 and advanced all the way to the NBA Finals in 2024. Kidd also helped stabilize the franchise early in his tenure and earned praise for connecting with players.

But this is clearly Ujiri’s operation now.

“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction,” Ujiri said.

And that future now centers heavily around Cooper Flagg, the reigning Rookie of the Year, along with the No. 9 overall pick in this year’s draft.

The Dallas opening instantly becomes one of the NBA’s most attractive jobs.

As for Kidd? He probably won’t stay unemployed for long.

The Bulls, Magic and Trail Blazers are among the teams currently searching for a head coach, and Kidd’s résumé will almost certainly put him near the top of multiple lists.