Nico Harrison fired. Anthony Davis traded. Jason Kidd was essentially fired with four years and $40 million left on his contract.
They even essentially fired assistant GM Matt Riccardi, the hometown kid, who grew up a Mavs fan.
Now we can all move on. Hallelujah.
Everybody who had a key role in what is easily the worst trade in NBA history is gone, except Dallas Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont.
Let’s face it, his mother-in-law owns the team, so he ain’t going nowhere. But he’s doing his best to make amends for co-signing on Harrison’s stupid idea to trade Luka Doncic.
It’s time to forgive Dumont. Understand, forgiveness is for you, not for Dumont. It’s time to rid yourself of the sports hate that’s fueled you for the last 15 months.
A New Front Office
In the last month, the Mavs have hired Masai Ujiri as president of basketball operations, and he’s among the most respected front-office czars in the game. He hired Mike Schmitz from Portland as GM, and he’s been labeled as one of the best young talent gurus in the game.
Each has a reputation for identifying talent, and that’s what the Mavs need most. Remember, Dallas does not have control of its first-round pick until 2031.
Cooper Flagg Is The Future
Cooper Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 draft, feels like the centerpiece of a championship-caliber team. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 70 games.
Then consider he didn’t turn 19 until Dec. 21.
Wow.
The Mavs have Kyrie Irving, coming off a torn ACL, and a bunch of role players. It’ll be interesting to see how Ujiri and Schmitz build a roster around Flagg.
Kidd’s Exit Was Inevitable
First, though, they must hire a coach. When Ujiri refused to commit to Kidd at his introductory news conference, you figured his time was limited.
Kidd, hired in June of 2021, led the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024. He finished with a record of 236-238 in five years with the Mavs.
He did a good job when he had a good team, and when he had a bad team, he persuaded his players to play hard, and they refused to quit.
Kudos to him, but if Kidd wasn’t part of the long-term solution, it’s better for him to leave now so the franchise and the fan base can move forward. The reality is, as long as Kidd coached the Mavericks, the Luka trade was always going to be at the forefront of every fan’s mind – no matter how much he denied having anything to do with the deal.
“We believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said in a statement. “We have high expectations for this franchise and responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention.”
The Next Coach Must Fit Flagg
The Mavs, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and Portland Trailblazers each need head coaches. Old heads like Tom Thibodeau and Billy Donovan are available, but there will also be some college names bandied about, like Alabama’s Nate Oats.
Whoever Ujiri and Schmitz hire, it needs to be a guy who will help Flagg maximize his immense talent. Flagg is a creative player who’s best playing off the ball and occasionally initiating the offense.
Kyrie Irving, if he’s here when the season starts, can run the offense or, maybe, they’ll grab a point guard in the draft.
Flagg is the future. Every decision must be made with his best interest in mind.
