Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has done an excellent job coaching the team, leading them to the 2024 NBA Finals last year before flaming out during the 2024-25 season following the Luka Doncic blockbuster.
The Mavericks traded Markieff Morris, Maxi Kleber and Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick, a move that surprised the entire league. Even Kidd seemed to be out of the loop when it was announced, a rarity given that head coaches are typically keen on player movement.
The magnitude of Doncic being dealt is hard to describe, though Kidd tried comparing it to the Babe Ruth trade. While Kidd used Ruth as an example because of how talented he was, the comparison fell flat as that trade set the Boston Red Sox back for generations.
In an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Kidd revealed he texted Doncic the following morning and that was the last time the two spoke:
“I texted him that morning [after the trade] and that’s the last time I’ve talked to him… I don’t think he was too happy, and again, from the experience of being traded, maybe being surprised, upset, feelings are high, but again, I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka. He’s an incredible person and we all know his talent is one of the best in the world. Again, my mindset is to deal with the cards I’m dealt and keep pushing forward. I’ve always said this, publicly and privately, I wish Luka the best. He’s one of the best players in the world.”
It sounds like Kidd genuinely feels for Doncic given how emotional and surprising the trade was, and there don’t seem to be many hard feelings between the two. Kidd and Doncic had a good relationship and it makes sense as the Mavericks head coach is one of the few people in the world who can relate to the star guard.
While the Mavericks and Kidd will miss out on Doncic’s prime, Lakers head coach JJ Redick now gets the opportunity to work with a generational player. Redick has shown a good understanding of how to use Doncic and it’ll be exciting to see how their partnership pans out.
Luka Doncic praises JJ Redick, compares him to European coaches
Luka Doncic didn’t get much time to work alongside head coach JJ Redick during the 2024-25 season, though they’ve already got a strong working relationship dating back to their days as teammates. Doncic was highly effusive of Redick’s performance this past season with the Lakers and even compared him to European coaches he respects.
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