Mavericks' Decision to Fire Jason Kidd Ended a Problem Before it Even Started

The Dallas Mavericks made the gutsy decision to part ways with Jason Kidd this week, ending a five-year run with Kidd at the helm. They only made the playoffs twice in Kidd's tenure, but those two playoff runs ended in a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2022 and an NBA Finals appearance in 2024.

Still, Masai Ujiri came to the decision that it was best to go ahead and move on from Kidd, wiping the slate clean. There were plenty of on-court reasons to move on from Kidd, especially when you look at his record without Luka Doncic in Dallas, but there may have been another motivation for Ujiri.

According to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, Ujiri may have moved on to avoid a potential "power struggle" with Kidd, who did show interest in wanting the team president job. Patrick Dumont made it known to Kidd months ago that he wouldn't be considered for that job, and that may have caused some future awkwardness, too.

"More likely, the decision to can Kidd was about eliminating a potential power struggle," Mannix wrote. "As Sports Illustrated has reported, Kidd wanted the top front office job. He’s also influential with ownership, specifically team governor Patrick Dumont, and has the support of Cooper Flagg, Dallas’s franchise star, and Kyrie Irving, its All-Star point guard. By moving on from Kidd, Ujiri may believe he is excising a potential problem before it becomes one."

Ujiri is very confident in who he is and does a great job of building a culture, so it's unlikely that he would've felt threatened by Kidd having shown interest in that role. However, he might've been able to feel that Kidd wasn't fully in coaching, and that's a different kind of power struggle.

Apr 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Where Will Jason Kidd Land?

There are only three other openings across the NBA right now: the Chicago Bulls, Portland Trail Blazers, and Orlando Magic. Of the three, only Orlando feels like it could be a fit for Kidd, but it might be more likely that he takes a year off before looking for opportunities for 2027.

When Kidd was let go by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018, he took a year off before popping up as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019, being a part of the staff that won the championship. It would not be surprising at all if he followed a similar path this time.

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