Sawt Falasteen - Mavericks part ways with head coach Kidd

"The Dallas Mavericks announced today that the team has mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Jason Kidd," an article posted on the team's website said. "The organization will immediately begin a comprehensive search for its next head coach."

Kidd has been at the helm in Dallas for five seasons, reaching the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024 under his guidance.

But a 26-56 campaign, in the Mavs' first full season since they stunningly traded Slovenian star Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025, spelled the end of his tenure.

Kidd, who won a title as a player with the Mavericks, said in April he was "not part of the process" that sent Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round draft pick.

Nico Harrison, who engineered the trade as Mavericks general manager, was fired in November.

The aftermath of the trade -- hugely unpopular with Mavericks fans -- was disastrous as Davis suffered an adductor muscle strain in his first game with the team and star guard Kyrie Irving then tore his left anterior cruciate ligament.

The two barely played together before Davis was traded to Washington in February.

The Mavs did get a glimpse of a brighter future with 19-year-old Cooper Flagg's Rookie of the Year campaign.

"As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team," Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said.

"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 and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve."

S.AbuJamous--SF-PST