Jason Kidd named Mavs coach, Nike exec named GM
The Mavericks have reached an agreement with Jason Kidd to make him their next head coach, according to The Athletic‘s Shams Charania.Â
Kidd had two stints with the franchise during his nearly two-decade playing career. He’s been an assistant coach with the Lakers since 2019. He previously was the head coach of the Nets and Bucks.
The 48-year-old Kidd had the support of team owner Mark Cuban as well as Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, among others involved in the hiring process, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.Â
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As Kidd prepares to take over as the team’s head coach, the franchise is also hiring Nike executive Nico Harrison to lead their basketball operations department, according to The Athletic.
Harrison, who has previously been pursued by other teams for front-office roles, has a strong relationship with numerous players around the league, the New York Times’ Marc Stein reports. According to the Times, the team envisions having Harrison and vice president of basketball operations Michael Finley working side-by-side. Dirk Nowitzki will also be a significant part of Cuban’s reshaped brain trust.
Read: Rick Carlisle Excited For Second Spell As Pacers Coach
Cuban and Harrison had in-depth discussions about the coaching candidates and identified Kidd as their target, per ESPN.
Jason Kidd has a 183-190 record as an NBA coach. He left the Nets in 2014 after clashing with ownership about expanding his role in the organization.
The Mavericks finished the regular season fifth in the Western Conference. They were eliminated in the first round by the Clippers, their second first-round postseason exit in two seasons.
