Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban went on the Intersections Podcast on Tuesday and didn’t hold back. Cuban implicated head coach Jason Kidd in the February 2025 trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, pointing to Kidd’s prior relationship with Anthony Davis as a factor. Cuban’s comments marked his most direct public acknowledgment of Kidd’s involvement since the trade sent shockwaves through the NBA.
Amid renewed scrutiny of Kidd’s role, NBA insider Marc Stein revealed the Mavericks’ stance on the coach’s future.
Dallas Wants Jason Kidd to Stay Despite Blame Game
When asked about Cuban’s podcast comments, Kidd tried to redirect the conversation. “When are we going to move on?” Kidd told the Dallas Morning News. “We have to move forward. We’re focused on the present and the future, and we’ve got an incredible opportunity to build.” It seems the Mavericks’ front office is standing by Kidd’s rebuilding call.
Stein wrote, “League sources say that the Mavericks want Jason Kidd to continue to serve as prized rookie Cooper Flagg’s coach and have to this point prioritized hiring a general manager who can partner with Kidd as well as provide a cogent vision for how the franchise builds around Flagg in the wake of the disastrous Luka Dončić-to-the-Lakers trade in February 2025.
“External suggestions that Kidd might seek to move into the front office have been repeatedly downplayed by sources with knowledge of the Mavericks’ thinking.”
The Dallas Mavericks want Jason Kidd to be the head coach for the team and Cooper Flagg in the future as well, per @TheSteinLine
“League sources say that the Mavericks want Jason Kidd to continue to serve as prized rookie Cooper Flagg’s coach and have to this point prioritized… pic.twitter.com/fhvcomU41q
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) April 1, 2026
However, Kidd’s plea for the fanbase to “move on” lands poorly with supporters who’ve watched the organization collapse since the trade. Dallas sits at 24-52, eliminated from playoff contention in late March for the second consecutive season.
The Mavericks reached the NBA Finals just two years ago with Dončić orchestrating the offense. Now they’re watching him put up 33.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists for a Lakers team sitting third in the West. Asking fans to forget that contrast while the team flounders at the bottom of the conference feels tone-deaf at best.
The one genuine bright spot has been Flagg. The No. 1 overall pick is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists this season, which places him as one of the top candidates for the Rookie of the Year Award.
Kidd has publicly campaigned for Flagg’s candidacy, calling his production “historic” and arguing that it “isn’t even close” compared to past winners. Building around Flagg offers the franchise a path forward, even if that path wouldn’t exist had the Dončić trade never happened.
Alongside, Dallas is actively searching for a permanent general manager after firing Nico Harrison last November. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix reported that governor Patrick Dumont is aiming high, with Oklahoma City’s Sam Presti, Boston’s Brad Stevens, Minnesota’s Tim Connelly, and Cleveland’s Koby Altman on his wish list.
Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have served as co-interim GMs since Harrison’s dismissal, and the organization hopes to finalize a hire before the June draft. The Mavericks need leadership that can give Flagg the supporting cast Dončić never had trouble attracting. Whether that happens with Kidd still on the bench remains the question hovering over everything in Dallas.
