The Dallas Mavericks’ stellar playoff performance ended abruptly in the Finals, where they were defeated by the Boston Celtics with a decisive 4-1 series loss. While expectations were high for Luka Dončić and his team to rebound with another championship bid the following season, they encountered a major obstacle.
The team began their off-season with concerns over the potential departure of NBA legend Jason Kidd’s key assistants.
Coaching a team is a collaborative effort, relying heavily on the supporting staff to assist the head coach. Jason Kidd, the Mavericks’ head coach, had a team of assistant coaches who played a crucial role in integrating Kyrie Irving into the lineup.
However, recent reports indicate that Kidd might lose two of these valuable assistants.
The Lakers are looking to enhance their coaching staff around JJ Redick with experienced personnel. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president, stated, “Surrounding Redick with an elite coaching staff will help shorten his learning curve into his first coaching job.”
These developments have put the Mavericks’ title hopes in limbo. The team’s coaching staff might need a swift overhaul before making any trade decisions for the upcoming season. Despite having made solid choices with players like Dereck Lively II and Danieal Gafford, the Mavericks need to address their coaching situation before focusing on roster improvements.
Regarding the potential loss of assistants, ESPN’s Wojnarowski mentioned that the Pistons’ interest in Sean Sweeney could go either way, giving the Mavericks a 50-50 chance of retaining him. Meanwhile, Marc Stein noted that the Mavericks have expressed a strong desire to keep Jared Dudley. Thus, Jason Kidd might manage to retain at least one of his assistants, if not both. The final outcome will depend on further updates.
