Jason Kidd Reportedly ‘A Strong Front-Runner’ to Be Named Mavericks HC

Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

The Dallas Mavericks appear to be zeroing in on hiring Hall of Famer Jason Kidd as the new head coach. 

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon, Kidd “has emerged as a strong frontrunner” to replace Rick Carlisle as Mavs head coach. 

MacMahon noted Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and “the soon-to-be hired” general manager, who wasn’t named, have had “in-depth” talks about the coaching candidates being considered. Kidd has the support of people advising Cuban on the decision, including Dirk Nowitzki.  

Dallas will mark Kidd’s third stop as an NBA coach if he gets the gig. He was hired by the Brooklyn Nets immediately after his retirement as a player in 2013, spending one season with the franchise before forcing his way to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Bucks fired Kidd after three-and-half seasons in 2018. He posted a 183-190 record in four-plus seasons as a head coach, reaching the postseason three times but only advancing past the first round once.

While he struggled to reach some players, particularly in the latter part of his Milwaukee tenure, Giannis Antetokounmpo credited him as being instrumental to his development.

“He was a big part of my success,” he said in 2018. “He trusted me, he put the ball in my hands, he motivated me on a daily basis, he pushed me to be great and not to be mediocre.

Kidd spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers under Frank Vogel. 

The Mavericks will hope his outlook has changed a bit having spent two years learning. He seemed more defiant about his coaching style than willing to change in a 2018 interview with B/R’s Howard Beck. 

“So, ‘driving them hard?’ I think, working,” Kidd said. “There’s nothing wrong with work. If you want to be great, you have to work. If you want to be good, you have to work. If you want to just be average, or below average, then you don’t have to work.”

One thing the Mavericks can offer Kidd that no other team with a coaching vacancy could is Luka Doncic. The 22-year-old is already a two-time All-Star and a potential MVP candidate for years to come. 

There’s still work for Dallas’ front office to do to surround Doncic with more high-end talent that will allow the franchise to compete for a championships, but the biggest piece of the puzzle is already in place. 

If Kidd doesn’t find more success this time around, he could be in his last stop as an NBA coach. 

The Mavericks potential hiring of Kidd would be a move they hope will quell some organizational dysfunction that’s taken place since their first-round exit against the Los Angeles Clippers.