It was one of the most shocking moves in NBA history when Dallas sent superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers, but Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said its time to move past the stunner.
It's a move that still haunts Mavericks faithful to this day, but Dallas head coach Jason Kidd wonders when will it be time to move on from the Luka Doncic trade.
Former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban reignited discussion during a podcast appearance by claiming Kidd played a pivotal role in the maligned move. Kidd responded sharply during an interview of his own with Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
“When are we going to move on? We have to move forward. We’re focused on the present and the future and we’ve got an incredible opportunity to build. I truly believe the Mavs fans have built before and will build again. And we want them to be a part of this build," Kidd said.
Kidd is right about one thing - the need to rebuild the team again. While Dallas isn't terrible, it has not been the same squad that made an NBA Finals appearance without Doncic on the roster.
In fact, the Mavericks have not even made the postseason, play-in included. So, there's a reason, whether Kidd understands or not, why fans in Dallas continue to discuss the trade.
In the midst of these tough times, Dallas has found a silver lining in the form of No. 1-overall pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg had a promising rookie season and could easily bring home the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. He is still learning and can't lead the Mavs on his own, but there's hope in Dallas as long as he's on the floor.
Alongside Flagg, Dallas is in position for another lottery pick this season. With a loaded projected drafted class, the Mavs are poised to land another potential star talent and could be speed up their rebuild exponentially.
This strategy worked for in-state rival, San Antonio. The Spurs used back-to-back draft classes to snag Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle, who have combined for the last two Rookie of the Year titles. The pair also has San Antonio sitting at second in the Western Conference and in the postseason for the first time since 2019.
It has undoubtedly but difficult, arguably unnecessarily, for the Mavericks in the time following Doncic's departure, but no amount of disagreement can bring the beloved star back to Dallas, at least for the time being. As a result, Mavs fans should not forget the trade that nearly destroyed their team, but focusing on the future as Kidd suggested may not be a terrible idea.
Even in the dark times, there is a bright future in Dallas, even if there is one less shining star in the city.