The Dallas Mavericks parted ways with former head coach Jason Kidd on Tuesday, then announced a press conference for Wednesday morning to discuss the topic with the media. President of Basketball Operations, Masai Ujiri, was on hand to do just that. He also revealed much more about the future of the Mavericks.
Here are some of the key takeaways from the presser.
Breaking with Kidd was Ujiri’s decision
Ujiri was asked how much he consulted with Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving on the decision to part ways with Jason Kidd. Ujiri acknowledged
he spoke to them both, but was clear neither player influenced the decision in anyway.
“This decision is on me… and I take responsibility for it”
Ujiri went on to suggest he is working on building a relationship with Flagg and part of that is a discussion and explanation regarding a coaching change. The same applied to Irving, with whom he already has an established relationship. Everything about this is great. The Mavs have a leader that specifically takes accountability while striving to connect with the people who actually determine the outcome on the court. Eliciting the opinions of key employees (player and otherwise) but then owning the final decision is an excellent display of leadership. None of the players will be blamed for ousting Kidd, and none of the players will be alienated by not having a voice.
Dallas begins coaching search now
Ujiri was later asked if he had yet spoken to any candidates for the coaching vacancy and if not, why then was now the right time to move on from Kidd. Once again, Ujiri used this as an opportunity to show a quiet professionalism and strong aura of leadership.
“I’ve not spoken to anybody. That would be disrespectful, I think, to Jason. I would never, ever do that to any coach.”
It may be disappointing to some that the team seemingly has no set plan, but that disappointment should be tempered. Having a leader who conducts himself in the proper manner is important, because it indicates that is simply what he does in all facets of his job. Kidd was the coach, and until he wasn’t, he deserved the respect he was afforded. Additionally, just because Ujiri has yet to speak to anyone else doesn’t mean he doesn’t have someone in mind. There also remains a good chance that someone he is targeting is as-yet employed elsewhere, and the offseason coaching carousel has yet to start spinning. Is Nick Nurse, a coach who had past success with Ujiri, someone who may garner interest if he becomes available?
Kyrie Irving is part of the future
If you happen to be in the camp who wants to move Irving for assets, you’re likely to be disappointed. Ujiri was asked if and how Irving would fit with Flagg, and he seems excited to find out.
“There’s only one kyrie walking around in the world… I think kyrie will fit”
At his introductory press conference, Ujiri was less committal when asked about specific people. Weeks later, we see the departure of Kidd. This time around, he took a different path, praising Irving outright and indicating he has been speaking to him regularly. Simply put, Ujiri wants to see Irving find success with the Mavericks. With that said, it’s nearly impossible to imagine Irving is not a Maverick come October.
Finley seems likely to stay
Following Kidd out the door was co-GM Matt Riccardi. Essentially replaced by Mike Schmitz, the transition made sense. That left Michael Finley’s future as one of the last key names in question.
“I’m discussing with Michael on roles and how he wants to fit in.”
Ujiri was specifically complimentary of Finley’s efforts to date and it appears he is working with him to determine the best role going forward. It sounds as though Finley will be staying if he wants to. For full disclosure, I’m a huge fan of Finley, but as objectively as possible as it is for me to view this, I think it’s a great thing. Finley is part of the fabric of this franchise, both as a player and a long-term front office fixture. He is a connection to the past, appears to be well liked by players and personnel, and gives the team a tangential connection back to Dirk Nowitzki, who has been seen far too infrequently since the Harrison-era alienated him.
A future mindset
Any concerns about a mis-managed timeline were put to rest coming out of the press conference.
“Every decision we’re going to make here is going to be future based. We’re not going to make decisions based on winning today.”
Out of context, that quote may appear jarring, but in reality, it shows the team has a specific plan in place going forward. That plan, of course, revolves around Cooper Flagg. While it seems Irving is unlikely to be moved, it suggests every effort is going to be made to structure the team around Flagg. That doesn’t mean every veteran is going to be jettisoned, and that is a good thing. Having veteran leadership is a critical component – a team full of 20-year-olds could easily go off the rails without experienced leaders alongside them. What it does mean is that the team has it’s priorities in order – this if Flagg’s team and it will be structured as such. There is no longer any lingering question there.
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