Jason Kidd isn't without blame for Mavericks trading Luka Doncic

Despite a recent report saying Kidd "resented" the trade, he played a part in the decision.

Mar 17, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd speaks to Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half against the Denver Nuggets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks have entered an early offseason, missing the playoffs after making the NBA Finals ten months ago. A lot of that is due to Nico Harrison's decision to trade Luka Doncic midseason in the middle of the night with no warning. That, combined with a litany of injuries, sent the Mavericks into a tailspin and they'll be picking in the lottery for the second time in the last three seasons.

A report surfaced earlier in the week that Jason Kidd "resented" the trade of Luka Doncic, especially having to rework the team's schemes on the fly. But while he may have resented it, he's also not without blame.

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Apr 18, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd reacts during the third quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

"The level of frustration that Nico had [with Luka] at the time was high," Tim MacMahon started on "The Right Time" with Bomani Jones. "By the way, J-Kidd was too. I think J-Kidd’s tried to distance himself from it, but J-Kidd’s frustration with Luka was also quite high. I was told at the time — obviously, it was off the record, but they traded him now so I’ll say it — 'Hey, if we got to trade him, we’ll trade his ass,' and I was like 'No you won’t. You ain’t blowing that house down. Give me a break.'…And then six weeks later, my phone dings."

Kidd was definitely frustrated at times with Doncic's defensive effort, but Doncic and Kidd also respected each other. When Kidd asked Doncic if they could play faster last season, Doncic quickly agreed and they played faster, a big reason they made it to the NBA Finals. But it's also possible that Doncic's complaining to the officials and style of play was wearing on Kidd.

It's doubtful that Kidd ever wanted to Nico Harrison and said "You have to trade this guy," but he may not have put up a huge fight either when he found out it was a possibility. Making the move in-season made it hard for the team to adjust on the fly though.

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