A year after the Luka Doncic trade, the Dallas Mavericks moved on from the last name connected to the move after relieving Jason Kidd of his duties as the team’s head coach. The decision was announced on Tuesday. Kidd led the Mavericks to a 26-56 record in the 2025-26 season.
He has always denied being part of the process that led to Doncic’s trade, but a recent claim from ESPN’s Shams Charania disputes that. Charania said on Wednesday that Kidd supported the move.
“How involved was Jason Kidd? He wasn’t making the trade, but Mavs sources do believe that he had a level of support for that trade,” Charania said on the “Pat McAfee show.”
After the video was shared on Instagram, Luka Doncic’s former teammate, Naji Marshall, came to Jason Kidd’s defense, disputing Charania’s claim in the comments section.
“This really isn’t true lol what’s wrong with y’all,” Marshall wrote.
Masai Ujiri, who joined the Mavericks as the team president and alternate governor on May 4, said on Wednesday that he decided to let go of Jason Kidd.
“What he’s done for this organization we truly respect, so this was a very, very tough decision,” Ujiri said. “I have to be accountable with a decision like this. I also have to be very active in how I look at the organization from top to bottom.”
He continued, saying that the team will soon begin its search for a new head coach:
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team. We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention. We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach.”
Ujiri clarified that the decision to let go of Kidd had nothing to do with the Luka Doncic trade. Kidd led the Mavericks to two deep playoff runs with Luka Doncic as his best player.
He coached Doncic and Co. to the Western Conference finals in 2022 and then to the NBA Finals in 2024. Before taking over as the coach, Kidd spent eight seasons with the Mavericks and was a key member of the 2011 team that won the franchise’s only championship.
The Dallas Mavericks owe Jason Kidd over $40 million
While the Mavericks have moved on from Kidd, they still owe him $40 million as he had four years remaining on his deal with Dallas. Kidd had signed a multiyear contract extension with the Mavericks in October 2025.
Kidd’s coaching run with the Mavericks lasted five years, ending with a 205-205 record. Kidd could pursue more coaching opportunities with the offseason approaching. This was his third tenure as a head coach in the NBA.
He previously coached the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks and also spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jason Kidd drew significant interest last summer while the New York Knicks looked to fill their head coach vacancy.
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