The Mavericks have been a complete disaster ever since they shocked the NBA by shipping Luka Doncic to the Lakers. Fans are furious. Nobody understood what the front office was thinking. As the outrage continues, we’re finally getting some behind-the-scenes details. Jason Kidd just spoke about his conversations with GM Nico Harrison, and team owner Patrick Dumont didn’t hold back when explaining the decision.
Kidd’s response to the rumors said everything. He all but admitted that he and Harrison never even discussed the trade. Instead, their conversations focused only on injuries and how to keep the team afloat. “The talk has just been strictly about the injuries,” Kidd said. “Figuring out who we can get in to help us. And right now, we’re pretty landlocked… [But] We’re in the process of help and that’s all I’ve talked to Nico about—what can we get that can help us today?”
So, let’s be clear: Kidd had zero clue this trade was happening. Reports confirm that Harrison and Rob Pelinka kept the entire deal under wraps to avoid leaks. That meant Kidd, the head coach, got completely blindsided. When asked why he kept everything secret, Nico didn’t sugarcoat it.
He said that he simply had to keep it a secret between himself and Pelinka. “It started out as a coffee … And then it it built upon that and we kept it between us. We had to, we had to keep it tight,” Harrison said. Or else? The Mavericks’ dirty laundry with their star player would’ve been aired out in public much earlier.
Feb 10, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison walks off the court before the game between the Dallas and the Sacramento Kings at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
And that’s one piece of cloth you wouldn’t want aired—unless it’s on Real Housewives of Dallas!
Was that all, though? Oh, no! Nico Harrison was just getting started. “Kidd didn’t know about it. But J-Kidd and I are aligned and we talk about archetypes and we talk about the culture that we want to create. So I know the type of players that that he likes without actually talking to him…and so I felt good about it making sense to where we’re trying to go,” the Mavs GM further elaborated.
And through it all, Jason looked like a deer in the headlights. The man was stunned (he tried to play it cool, but nope—he failed), to say the least.
Nico Harrison just said Jason Kidd didn’t know about the Luka Doncic trade while Jason Kidd is sitting right next to him pic.twitter.com/4Q0q8C78SL
— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) February 2, 2025
If the head coach doesn’t even have a voice in a move this big, what does that say about his role—or how decisions are really made in Dallas?
Mavericks Owner’s Direct Message to the Mavs and Jason Kidd
Meanwhile, as fans demand answers, Patrick Dumont just made things ten times worse. Instead of calming the firestorm, he threw shade at Doncic’s commitment. “If you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be part of us,” Dumont said, calling out Luka’s conditioning and character.
Yeah… not a great move. Fans were already heartbroken, and now it feels like the team is throwing Doncic under the bus. Protests have already started near the Dirk Nowitzki statue, with fans holding signs and chanting for Dumont and Harrison to explain themselves. “Fans are furious,” one reporter said. “It’s one thing to trade a generational talent, but to then suggest he didn’t meet your standards? That’s not sitting well.”
Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks fans gather outside the arena before the game between the Dallas and the Houston Rockets to protest the Nico Harrison trade of former Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
And if that wasn’t enough chaos, Dumont also had to shut down rumors that the Mavericks might move to Las Vegas. Fans already feel betrayed, so the idea of losing the team entirely had them in full meltdown mode. “We are committed to Dallas,” Dumont said. “There is no plan to move. This is our home, and we plan to build a championship team here.”
That’s nice to hear, but let’s be real—fans don’t trust this front office at all right now. The team butchered the Doncic trade. The owner made things worse with his comments. And even their own head coach had no idea what was happening. This franchise looks completely lost.
The fallout from this trade isn’t going away. Kidd is trying to focus on the future, but with Harrison keeping secrets and Dumont calling out Luka on his way out, the Mavericks have a much bigger problem than just replacing their superstar. They need to win back their fans.
So, what do you think? Did the Mavericks completely blow this, or is there some big plan nobody sees yet? Let us know in the comments!
The post Jason Kidd Reveals Private Conversation With Nico Harrison After ESPN Reporter Highlights Mavs Owner’s Direct Message to Dallas appeared first on EssentiallySports.
