Luka Dončić, a five-time All-NBA first-team player at just 25 years old, was traded last week in a surprising deal that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. This unexpected move left Dallas Mavericks fans particularly disheartened, with many believing that general manager Nico Harrison gave up too much while receiving too little in return.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd addressed the fans’ frustrations following the team’s victory over the Boston Celtics on February 6. “Our sympathy goes to the fans,” Kidd stated.
Just two days later, Kidd revealed that he was informed about the trade involving Dončić at the last minute. “I got a call to come up to the room and was told about the trade,” he said when asked when he learned Dončić was on the trading block.
Kidd, a former point guard for the Mavericks, emphasized his role as a coach. “I’m an employee of the Mavs. I’ve said this before: I’m the coach. I coach the players that are here. We made a trade, and we’ve got to push forward. That’s what we’re doing,” he explained.
He acknowledged the nature of the league, stating, “No one’s going to feel bad for us. Trades happen in this game. Things change, coaches change, teams get sold. A lot of things happen that are out of our control, but you’ve got to continue to just do your job, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m the coach. I’m not the decision-maker. I’m here to coach the team that’s given to me, and then I’m judged on that by you guys.”
Davis missed Thursday’s game due to an abdominal strain but made his debut with Dallas on Saturday, scoring a double-double with 26 points before leaving the game against the Houston Rockets with a lower-body injury.
