Dallas Blew Up A $40 Million Contract, And It All Started With The Luka Trade

Man, you gotta be kidding me! The NBA news cycle never stops, even with our Mariners early in the season. Word just dropped that Jason Kidd is out as the Dallas Mavericks head coach. Yep, you heard that right. After five years, two 50-win seasons, and even a trip to the freaking NBA Finals in 2023-24, Kidd and the Mavs "mutually agreed to part ways" on Tuesday. This is absolutely wild because the guy signed a contract extension in October 2025 that still had four years and well over $40 million left on it. Talk about a brutal way to end a tenure, and it all traces back to that massive Luka Doncic trade in February of last year.

The Rollercoaster Ride Was Too Much For Dallas

Kidd's run in Dallas was a complete mixed bag, an absolute rollercoaster. He had those two awesome seasons where his squad notched 50 wins or more, including that unbelievable push to the Western Conference championship in 2023-24. Remember that? They made it all the way to the NBA Finals before eventually falling to the Boston Celtics in five games. And get this, in his very first season, 2021-22, he led them to a 52-30 record and a Western Conference Finals appearance, even snagging sixth place in Coach of the Year voting. After the Finals run, he was ninth in that vote. But then, you flip the coin, and he also racked up three losing seasons, including a brutal 25-56 bottoming out just last season. His overall record for the Mavs was exactly .500 at 205-205, with a 22-18 playoff record. You can't make this stuff up!

The Luka Trade's Ripple Effect Finally Hit Hard

Here’s where it gets really messy. Kidd, a Hall of Famer as a player, had been coaching for 10 seasons, including stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks before Dallas. He even had a winning season with the Nets and one above .500 with the Bucks. But his popularity in Dallas took a serious nosedive when the Mavericks traded away superstar Luka Doncic in February 2025. Kidd swore he only learned about the deal at the "11th hour," but the damage was done. He got linked to the move that instantly tanked Dallas from a contender to a lottery team. Mavericks president Masai Ujiri didn't mince words, saying they believe it's the "right moment for a new direction" and that they have "high expectations" to build for "sustained championship contention." They’re doing a "thorough, disciplined search" for a new head coach, and you know they're evaluating everyone else in basketball operations too. This is a massive reset for Dallas, folks. With Kidd, 53, now out despite that huge contract, the Mavs are clearly trying to turn the page hard after becoming a lottery team. It's a stark reminder that even a Finals appearance doesn't guarantee your job if the team's trajectory changes that drastically. You know what they say in the NBA, it's a "what have you done for me lately" league, and apparently, a $40 million contract extension isn't enough to keep you safe when the star player is gone and the team struggles.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.