DALLAS – Jason Kidd’s era as coach of the Dallas Mavericks officially began.
Kidd was finally announced as the tenth coach in the history of the Mavericks, the same franchise that recruited him as a professional player and in which he played in two stages, including the second time he returned as the piece that was needed to get the championship.
Back then, he was the ball mover and leader they needed to cap off such good seasons the Mavericks had had, but ended early in the Playoffs or after squandering a 2-0 lead in the 2006 Finals.
Kidd is a highly respected figure in Dallas as one of those sports legends who share championships only with the NFL Cowboys. Even the same coach Rick Carlisle, who resigned a little less than two weeks ago, said days after that 2011 championship that Kidd was already part of the legends of the Dallas-Fort Worth area, in the same line as Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and several others who had come from college to the Mavericks, the same city that later became champions.
The Mavericks hope that the same thing that happened in his second stage as a player will happen, that it will be the missing piece to take the leap to the next level, after two seasons in which they have been eliminated in the first round of the Postseason, to despite having the Slovenian Luka doncic, one of the best current players in the NBA.
However, for that they require more players. Owner Mark Cuban believes that alongside new general manager Nico Harrison he can attract talent in free agency that previous manager Donnie Nelson and Carlislile couldn’t.
“Dallas has meant a lot to me as a player and I want to thank Mark Cuban for the opportunity to return as head coach,” Kidd said in a statement. “I am excited to be able to work with this young, hungry and incredibly talented team and to continue to build a winning legacy for the Mavericks organization.”
In four seasons as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14) and Milwaukee Bucks (2014-2018), Kidd has made three trips to the Playoffs, adding to the championship he won with the Los Angeles Lakers last year as an assistant. .
Along with Kidd will also arrive another former champion player with Dallas and highly respected in the community, Puerto Rican José Juan Barea, who recognized Kidd as one of his main mentors at the time they played together. Now it will have to be the same, but as coaches.
For Cuban and his new adviser Dirk Nowitzki, it could be a major blow in their intent to turn Dallas into a transcendent team.
Kidd, Nowitzki’s former teammate, has credibility on and off the Mavericks, including Doncic. The same goes for Harrison, the new general manager. They are two characters who can refresh the franchise in all aspects before Doncic prefers to emigrate or such productive years are wasted on the court.
Harrison was also officially announced and will be presented with Kidd in person on July 15, Mavericks sources said.
“We are excited to welcome J-Kidd and his family back to Dallas,” Cuban said in a statement. “He has the winning mentality that led to a Hall of Fame career and has helped him successfully transition into the NBA coaching rankings.
“We can’t wait for him to get to work and guide our franchise and our talented young players into the future.”