DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said Friday he was “not part of the process” in the infamous Feb. 1, 2025, trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.
Kidd’s comments came in response to an accusation from Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban earlier this week that Kidd and former general manager Nico Harrison played roles in the trade that has caused Dallas to slip from contender status to one of the worst teams in the NBA.
“That doesn’t justify it for our coach and general manager to stand up and trade our best player,” Cuban said on the “Intersections” podcast.
In response, Kidd denied his involvement and said the Mavericks must look forward as they build around rookie forward Cooper Flagg.
“Cuban has mentioned that I knew about the trade,” Kidd said. “Unfortunately, as I have said, I was not part of the process. I was informed at the 11th hour. And that’s the truth.
“We have to move forward. We have planted our flag. That’s Cooper Flagg. We have an opportunity to build around him. It’s an exciting time. Our record is not what it should be. We have been in 43 ‘clutch’ games (games that were within 5 points in the final five minutes). We are playing hard. This group is playing hard.”
Kidd said he called Cuban immediately after hearing what was said on the podcast.
“I called Mark right away,” Kidd said. “We had that conversation. That’s not a public conversation. But understanding that Mark, again, has done a lot for the Dallas Mavericks. And for the city. And for myself. This is not about ‘He said, she said.’ It’s about (him having) his opinion. And I’m here to tell you the truth.”
The morning after the trade, The Athletic asked Kidd when he knew the Mavericks were going to deal Dončić. Kidd said then that he was only made aware of the deal “at the 11th hour.”
Asked Friday to clarify what that meant, Kidd said, “I was called (by) Nico (into) the room, and he told me that there was a trade that was going to go public at 11 o’clock. That’s what happened. That’s the details of the conversation. I waited until 11 o’clock, and that trade, the world changed.”
News about the trade first broke at 11:12 p.m. CT on Feb. 1, 2025. Davis made his Mavericks debut a week later and suffered a left adductor strain in his first game in a Dallas uniform and wound up playing 29 games with the Mavericks before being traded to the Washington Wizards.
Dončić, who’s averaging 33.5 points per game, has led the NBA in scoring this season for the Lakers, who are in third place in the West. Dončić’s status for Sunday’s game in Dallas is unclear after he exited Thursday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a left hamstring injury.
The Mavericks fired Harrison in November amid their 3-8 start to this season. The team’s search for a new head of basketball is underway, and Dallas officials have said they want someone in place ahead of this year’s draft.
Kidd, who is about to wrap up his fifth season as Mavericks coach, received a contract extension in October after the Mavericks blocked him from interviewing with the New York Knicks for their head coaching job. All indications are that Kidd will be back for a sixth season on the sidelines in Dallas. Kidd on Friday called Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont “the best owner in the league.”
“We all understand what’s in front of us, and that’s to build a championship organization,” Kidd said. “I really, truly believe that when you look at Patrick, he will give us the resources to be able to do that.”
Cuban sold his majority stake in the Mavericks to Miriam Adelson and Dumont, her son-in-law and the CEO of Las Vegas Sands, in December 2024 for $3.5 billion. On the same Intersections podcast episode, Cuban said he doesn’t regret selling the franchise, but regrets who he sold it to.
Cuban was the Mavericks’ majority owner in 2011, when the franchise won its only championship. Kidd played on that team.
“I played for Mark,” Kidd said. “Won a championship. He’s one of the greatest owners I’ve played for. Understanding roles have changed. I’m not a player. I’m a coach. And for him, his role has changed.”
