Mavericks reportedly sign coach Jason Kidd to multi-year extension
Well, Mavs fans, you can officially unclench. The Woj Bomb we’ve all been waiting for has finally dropped, not from Woj himself this time, but from the equally plugged-in Marc Stein: Jason Kidd has inked a multi-year extension to stay on the sidelines in Dallas.Let’s be real, after the magical run to the 2024 NBA Finals, this wasn't just expected; it was mandatory. Think about the vibe around this team just a year ago.They were a play-in tournament hopeful that fizzled out, a confusing mess of a roster that had Luka Dončić putting up video game numbers in a losing effort night after night. Bringing Kidd back then was a question mark for some, a legacy hire for a franchise legend whose previous head coaching stints had, let's say, mixed reviews.But what a difference a season makes. This wasn't just an extension; it was a coronation for a coach who finally cracked the code.Kidd’s genius this past season was his stubborn, almost obsessive, commitment to fixing the team's historically bad defense. Remember when the Mavs couldn't stop a parked car? He engineered a mid-season masterpiece, bringing in Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington, two moves that completely transformed their identity.Suddenly, they weren't just Luka and Kyrie Irving doing circus acts; they were a cohesive, switch-heavy, defensively terrifying unit. Kidd managed the impossible: he got Kyrie to buy in completely on both ends, he empowered the role players, and most importantly, he figured out how to build a system that amplified Luka’s generational talent without asking him to do absolutely everything.It’s the coaching equivalent of finding the final, perfect piece to a puzzle you’ve been struggling with for years. The chemistry in that locker room is palpable, a far cry from the tension we saw in Brooklyn or his first go-round in Milwaukee.He’s evolved. He’s learned to delegate to a strong staff, and he’s developed a genuine, trust-based relationship with his superstars.This extension isn’t just a reward for a Finals appearance; it’s a strategic investment in stability. With Luka’s supermax extension kicking in and Kyrie locked up, securing the architect of their success was the final, crucial piece of front-office business.It sends a message to the entire league: the Mavericks are not a flash in the pan. They are a destination, a culture, and they are built for a sustained window of championship contention.The Western Conference is a gauntlet—with Denver reloading, OKC’s young core maturing, and Minnesota’s defense looking impenetrable—but locking down Kidd ensures the Mavs have the steady hand at the wheel to navigate it. The man who once famously spilled a drink to get a stoppage in play is now the one calling the shots for the foreseeable future, and for Dallas, that future has never looked brighter.
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