Mavericks president Ujiri says firing Jason Kidd was 'his and his alone' decision
Dallas Mavericks president Masai Ujiri said on Wednesday that the decision to fire head coach Jason Kidd was 'very tough' but was 'his and his alone'. It is the first major personnel decision since Ujiri's move from the Toronto Raptors to Dallas, and is being discussed across the NBA.
Ujiri joined Dallas in his presidency role last year. Public reporting had since portrayed his relationship with Kidd as healthy. In his statement on Wednesday, however, Ujiri said: 'This is a decision I made on my own. It's time to bring a new vision to the bench.'
Kidd had been the head coach since the 2021-22 season, and in four years took the Mavericks to one NBA Finals and one Western Conference Finals. Even so, the team exited the Western Conference play-offs early last season, and many analysts have emphasised that the team's post-Luka Dončić identity has been problematic.
Following Ujiri's statement, background sources said the strongest driver of the decision was 'tactical misalignment'. The Mavericks' new roster prioritises defensive performance and fast transition play; Kidd's traditional half-court approach did not match that vision.
Kidd did not issue an official statement in response to his dismissal. People close to him told ESPN, however, that the dismissal had been verbally communicated weeks earlier and he had 'accepted the situation'. Kidd is said to be drawing interest from the Lakers, Knicks and several European clubs.
Mavericks ownership changed last summer, with Dallas sold to a new ownership group led by Patrick Dumont. The new ownership brought in Ujiri promising a 'full rebuild'. Wednesday's decisions are the concrete steps in that direction.
For Kidd's successor, ESPN sources cite as candidates the former Memphis Grizzlies assistant Tuomas Iisalo, the former Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown, and an in-cycle NBA head coach named Nick Nurse. Negotiations are expected to conclude over the next seven to 10 days.
Following the trade-rumour-shrouded departure of Luka Dončić last season, the Mavericks want to position the team's future star plays between Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson. The new coach is expected to be comfortable managing rotations between those two players.
Ujiri also announced changes in the team's front office. General manager Nico Harrison's contract ends at season's end and may not be renewed. A new Director of Player Development role will be opened, and the scouting staff will be reviewed broadly.
Mavericks fans and NBA analysts are divided on the call. Some say Kidd had become a 'coach awaiting dismissal' over the last several months. Others argue that his NBA Finals-level record had been sufficient, and that the transition should have been managed with more patience. Judgement on Ujiri's first big move will crystallise in the first three months of next season.