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Mavericks’ Jason Kidd drops requirements for new general manager
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- Mavericks’ Jason Kidd drops requirements for new general manager
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A disastrous end to the Nico Harrison era will overshadow what was a prosperous stretch for the Dallas Mavericks . During his four-plus-year tenure as general manager, the franchise reached the NBA Finals and posted two 50-win campaigns. He paired Luka Doncic with 2016 NBA champion Kyrie Irving and upgraded the front court with Dereck Lively II , Daniel Gafford and PJ Washington . The Mavs were set up for long-term success.
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But with one unprecedented move, and a subsequent flood of injury misfortune, the organization drastically altered its trajectory and infuriated its unsuspecting fan base. Dallas immediately paid the consequences for the Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, and Harrison did the same soon after. The Mavericks fired the GM just 11 games into the 2025-26 season and eventually shipped out The Brow. Now, with Cooper Flagg serving as the nucleus , ownership is ready to appoint a full-time front-office leader.
Who will it be? That question may take some time to answer, but head coach Jason Kidd wants the new general manager to possess one essential quality .
"That's out of my pay grade," the Hall of Fame point guard initially told reporters before later elaborating, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. "That's for Patrick (Dumont) and them, but whoever we hire is going to have to be tough and understand what it takes to build because you have a great opportunity to build something special here. The pieces are here…Someone who is tough because this is not an easy place."
Fair or not, whomever is awarded the job will inherit a fandom that is already distrustful and emotionally spent. People will extend little patience after being forced to abruptly bid farewell to a franchise cornerstone who had not even reached his prime years yet. Harrison's successor will have to quickly prove that they are equipped to engineer a swift turnaround.
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Kidd is right about the challenges that face the newcomer, but his point about the potential to "build something special" is well-taken. The Mavericks have complete confidence in 19-year-old Cooper Flagg , who gained immeasurable experience by being thrown into the No. 1 role during his rookie campaign. Furthermore, Irving will return next season after suffering a torn ACL last year, and the team has the opportunity to secure a top-five or top-10 draft pick in a lauded class.
The Mavs obviously need better luck going forward, but a strong GM can help produce winning results in the near future. It all starts with bringing stability. Jason Kidd will be in the unenviable position of working under someone who did not hire him, but hopefully, he will be able to lend valuable advice during the will-be GM's transition.
Related: Health director from Nico Harrison era fired by Mavericks after 2 seasons
Related: Mavericks' Cooper Flagg gets brutally honest on potentially losing ROY to Kon Knueppel
