yahoo - 5/20/2026 2:16:27 AM - GMT (+2 )
Jason Kidd is out in Dallas, the Mavericks announced Tuesday evening.
The Mavericks said they had "mutually agreed to part ways."
Kidd spent five years in Dallas and had four years and more than $40 million left on his contract, per ESPN. He had been extended each of the last two offseasons, including after Dallas' run to the NBA Finals in 2024. However, a disappointing 2026 season prompted new Mavericks' president Masai Ujiri to look for Kidd's replacement.
"Jason has had a meaningful impact on the Dallas Mavericks, both as a Hall of Fame player and as the head coach who helped lead this franchise back to the NBA Finals," Ujiri said in the team's statement. "As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team."
Ujiri was brought on as team president on May 4 this year, and already he has made a move that will drastically alter the team's future. During his introductory press conference, Ujiri was noticeably noncommital when questioned about Kidd's future as head coach. Just two weeks later, Kidd is gone. ESPN reports that Kidd was kept out of the loop regarding Ujiri's hiring.
Kidd had a 205-205 record as the team's head coach, and helped lead them to the NBA Finals in 2024, where they lost to the Boston Celtics. He also led the team to the Western Conference finals in 2022.
Where will Jason Kidd go next?Reports indicate that the New York Knicks were interested in Kidd and even requested to interview him prior to the 2025-26 season. Dallas denied their request.
That said, it is unlikely that the Knicks would be willing to fire head coach Mike Brown if he leads them to the NBA Finals.
At the same time, Kidd has expressed interest in moving to a team's front office. ESPN reports Kidd "had expressed a desire to be promoted to president of basketball operations after general manager Nico Harrison was fired in November." However, Mavericks' governor Patrick Dumont told Kidd that he was not in consideration for the role.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dallas Mavericks, coach Jason Kidd part ways: What we know
read more