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Tag: Jason Kidd

  • Mavericks fire GM Nico Harrison 9 months after widely panned Luka Doncic trade

    DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, an admission nine months later that the widely criticized trade of Luka Doncic backfired on the franchise.

    The move came a day after Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont attended a 116-114 loss to the Bucks in which fans again chanted “fire Nico,” a familiar refrain since the blockbuster deal in February that brought Anthony Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers and angered the Dallas fan base.

    The Mavericks appointed Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi as co-interim general managers to oversee basketball operations.

    Dumont’s hope for goodwill with the fans never came even after Dallas landed No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg with just a 1.8% chance to win the draft lottery.

    There have been plenty of empty seats in the upper deck of American Airlines Center this season, something not seen consistently since 2018, when the Mavericks traded up to get Doncic with the third overall pick.

    Doncic was a 25-year-old generational point guard in his prime when Harrison unloaded him for the oft-injured Davis, who has missed 30 of 44 regular-season games since his arrival in February.

    Harrison was in his fourth season and had engineered three trades that helped the Mavs go on a run to the Western Conference finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals two years later.

    The Doncic trade and a slow start to the first full season without the young superstar led to a stunning downfall for Harrison, who declined to comment to The Associated Press. Dallas is 3-8, and Davis has missed six of the 11 games with a calf injury.

    “No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season,” Dumont wrote in a letter to fans. “You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act.”

    While Dumont didn’t directly mention the Doncic trade in the letter, he acknowledged the vitriolic reaction of fans, who protested after the shocking deal. The Las Vegas-based Dumont and Adelson families, who bought the Mavericks from Mark Cuban in late 2023, were targets of the criticism as well.

    “I understand the profound impact these difficult last several months have had,” Dumont wrote. “Please know that I’m fully committed to the success of the Mavericks.”

    Dumont approved Harrison’s decision to trade Doncic, which kept the Mavericks from having to commit to a $346 million, five-year supermax extension for the Slovenian star.

    Harrison tried to defend the deal by repeating a “defense wins championships” line. But with Davis sidelined by a calf injury and star guard Kyrie Irving still out after tearing the ACL in his left knee last March, defense hasn’t mattered much because Dallas has one of the worst offenses in the NBA.

    With Davis and Irving playing together for just part of one game last season, the Mavericks missed the playoffs a year after Doncic led them to the NBA Finals.

    The slow, injury-plagued start to this season for the Mavericks coincided with Doncic joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only NBA players to open a season with three consecutive games of at least 40 points.

    Doncic’s historic run was interrupted by a three-game injury absence, but the Lakers won twice without him and are 8-3.

    Harrison had spent 20 years with Nike and had close relationships with several NBA stars, including the late Kobe Bryant, when Cuban hired him in 2021.

    The hiring of Harrison was the first step in trying to restore stability after former general manager Donnie Nelson was fired, then Rick Carlisle resigned as coach a day later. Nelson and Carlisle had been together for 13 years.

    Harrison hired Jason Kidd as coach, and the Mavericks reached the Western Conference finals their first season together after Harrison’s first blockbuster trade.

    He broke up the European pairing of Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis and got Spencer Dinwiddie, who played a key supporting role with Doncic as the Mavericks stunned Phoenix with a Game 7 blowout in the second round before losing to Golden State in five games.

    A year later, Dinwiddie was part of the next blockbuster trade, which brought Irving from Brooklyn. The Mavericks faltered the rest of that season largely because of injuries, but they reached their first NBA Finals in 13 years in 2023-24, led by the pair of star guards. Dallas lost to Boston in five games.

    That deep playoff run came in the first six months after Cuban sold the team. He said then that he would maintain control of basketball operations, but that didn’t happen.

    Dumont quickly put full control of the basketball side in the hands of Harrison, who saw Davis as a championship-caliber player in the mold of Bryant. Davis won a title with LeBron James and the Lakers in 2020.

    Cuban criticized the trade of Doncic, saying he never would have approved it and adding that he didn’t think Dallas got enough in return. Months later, though, Cuban credited Harrison for his salary cap management.

    Finley, who was Harrison’s top assistant and has been in the Dallas front office for a decade, was a two-time All-Star for the Mavericks in the early 2000s when Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki was coming of age.

    Finley had moved on to San Antonio when Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006. Dallas lost to Miami that year but beat the Heat five years later for the franchise’s only championship.

    ___

    AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

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  • Jason Kidd after the firing of Nico Harrison: “We have to move forward”

    DALLAS

    The Dallas Mavericks have experienced a momentous 24 hours, firing general manger Nico Harrison, a divisive figure among fans, to put it politely.

    Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, joined by players PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, talked about the dismissal of the former Nike executive Wednesday.

    Kidd talked about how the anti-Harrison sentiment affected the team, specifically some of the “Fire Nico” chants that went on during Mavs players’ free throws.

    “We can only hope that we don’t have to go through that again, because it was a little disrespectful, because the guys are playing hard, and they’re trying to win, but that chant when we’re shooting free throws is very disrespectful, but understanding that they got their point across, the fans, but we have to move forward. I understand the healing process for the fans, but these guys are playing hard. Ever since the trade, these guys have given everything,” said Kidd, “We got over, I think, $100 million sitting on the sideline, and we’re still competing. We’re still in games, and we’re learning how to win. So I would hope that we start to get a little credit for that.”

    Kidd also pointed out that it was important for players to feel support, not disrespect, from fans.

    “These guys, they can hear those things, and they feel really disrespected, and it’s hard to keep guys here in this league when they start to think that the home team is not home, and it becomes a visiting place and so hopefully that changes.”

    Washington who had previously complained about the chants, which happened when he was at the free-throw line, talked about how he hopes fans move forward.

    “I felt the same way [as Kidd], I felt like people weren’t really cheering us on, it felt like from a player standpoint. So hopefully that changes,” said Washington. We’ll see tonight; hopefully everybody starts cheering up and be quiet during free throws.”

    Kidd also talked about how hard it was to lose someone you had worked with.

    “Yesterday was a tough day for everyone, for the organization, anytime you lose someone because you’ve spent the last four years, but it’s tough. But I think when you look at the NBA, season keeps going, we have to continue to push forward,” said Kidd.

    Gafford spoke on how the team moves forward and the firing of Harrison and what the team’s mentality is.

    “I think, just like the outlook of it for the team, it’s just the business of basketball, and when it comes to that, our main focus right now is just the basketball side of it. We can’t really focus on just whatever goes on behind the scenes, and all the stuff that goes on, the front office stuff. We got games to win at the end of the day. We’ve had a bit of an up-and-down beginning of the season, so our main focus right now is just coming out, just playing hard, just winning basketball games for sure,” said Gafford.

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    Lawrence Dow

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram

    Lawrence Dow is a digital sports reporter from Philadelphia. He graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from USC. He’s passionate about movies and is always looking for a great book. He covers the Texas Rangers and other sports.

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  • The Dallas Mavericks Are Struggling To Close Games

    The Dallas Mavericks Are Struggling To Close Games

    The Dallas Mavericks can’t close games. Most recently, Dallas saw a 16-point lead over the Oklahoma City Thunder with 5:41 to play in the fourth quarter evaporate before their eyes. The Mavericks lost in overtime, 117-111

    This season, a similar scenario has played out in Dallas’s three losses. They build a lead, take their foot off the gas and find a way to cough up games. If the Mavericks cannot develop a closing instinct soon, they will continue to squander away opportunities.

    “You just look at [how] we got great opportunities, but we’re just missing shots,” Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd said after the Thunder loss. “We’re not playing any defense, and that’s a big part of our problem. No matter who is closing the game, if you don’t get stops or if you just let the ball drive, and if you don’t protect the paint, it’s hard in this league.”

    Kidd went with a lineup of Luka Doncic, Spencer Dinwiddie, Reggie Bullock, Dorian Finney-Smith and Christian Wood for the final 3:42 of the fourth quarter. Coming into the game, Wood, who Kidd is determined to keep in a Sixth Man role, had only played eight minutes with this group.

    Despite a small sample size, in those eight minutes, the lineup had an offensive rating of 138.9 and a defensive rating of 100. Those numbers didn’t translate against Oklahoma City as the Thunder closed the final minutes of the fourth quarter on a 17-2. Kidd wasn’t impressed with the outcome.

    “We didn’t go with Timmy [Hardaway Jr.] tonight. We left C-Wood out there with that group, and it didn’t go well on either end, and that’s something we got to be better at. I think we worry about offense, but we took command of that game, and with six minutes left, it started to go the other way. We just didn’t finish.”

    The lineup that closed the game has now played 12 minutes together this season and has an offensive rating of 103.8 and a defensive rating of 134.8. Kidd quickly pointed out that playing Wood in the losing lineup didn’t work, but Wood wasn’t the only problem for Dallas.

    Despite stuffing the box score with his second consecutive triple-double, notching 31 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists, Luka Doncic played poorly. After turning in some quality defensive performances this season, Doncic appeared checked out on that side of the ball.

    However, he still had an opportunity to win the game in regulation but missed the 17-foot fadeaway jumper. He finished the night, fouling out in overtime, with a plus-minus of minus-25. He was on the floor for the entire Thunder run to tie the game in the fourth and take the lead in overtime.

    “It’s on me,” Doncic said. “I didn’t lead the team. I didn’t make shots. That game’s on me. I didn’t do what [was] needed to do to win.”

    Losing close games this early is becoming a disturbing trend. The Thunder aren’t pushovers, having beaten the Los Angeles Clippers twice a week, but they aren’t contenders. Neither are the New Orleans Pelicans when Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and Herb Jones. Still, the undermanned Pelicans similarly knocked off the Mavericks.

    Even the loss to open the season against the Phoenix Suns was terrible. While the Suns look primed to return to the postseason, the Mavericks led for 41 minutes and choked up a 22-point lead.

    If there is one late-game success Dallas can look to, it’s their 129-125 overtime win against the Brooklyn Nets. While the Mavericks shouldn’t have let the game get to overtime, they were able to assert themselves in the extra frame and find a way to win.

    The season is still young, and it’s clear that Kidd is still tinkering with the lineups, working from his script to see what does and doesn’t work. But sooner rather than later, he will have to put together a product on the floor that can build and hold leads rather than consistently throw them away.

    “When you look at early in the season, we have had leads in the fourth, and we give them away,” Kidd said. “It’s something we got to look at. We look at a different lineup closing the game; it just didn’t go well.”

    Doyle Rader, Contributor

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  • Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    Suns beat Clips 112-95, Paul 3rd NBA player with 11K assists

    LOS ANGELES — Devin Booker scored 35 points, Chris Paul became the third player in NBA history to reach 11,000 assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the Los Angeles Clippers 112-95 on Sunday night.

    The Suns didn’t waste any time getting started on the blowout. They raced to an 11-0 lead from the opening tip and led by 20 points at halftime and again in the third.

    Marcus Morris scored 22 points, John Wall added 17 points and Paul George had 16 points in the Clippers’ home opener after winning their first two games on the road. Kawhi Leonard had 11 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench in his second game of the season.

    Paul assisted on the Suns’ first basket of the game, a 3-pointer by Booker. Paul followed with an alley-oop pass to Deandre Ayton, who dunked, to give him 11,000 assists.

    Paul joined John Stockton and Jason Kidd as the only players in NBA history with that many assists. Paul also became the first player in the league with 20,000 points and 11,000 assists.

    Stockton had 15,806 assists and Kidd, now coach of the Dallas Mavericks, had 12,091.

    Fittingly, Paul reached the mark against the Clippers, with whom he played for six seasons and is the franchise’s career assists leader.

    Paul finished with seven points, 11 assists and eight rebounds.

    Last season, the Clippers overcame deficits of at least 24 points four times.

    Not this time.

    The Clippers got no closer than 10 points on a 3-pointer by George late in the third. Booker and Cameron Payne scored to send the Suns into the fourth leading 86-72.

    The Clippers were called for offensive fouls on Luke Kennard and Ivica Zubac after getting within 12 early in the final quarter.

    Cam Johnson, former Clipper Landry Shamet and Booker hit consecutive 3-pointers that stretched the Suns’ lead to 99-81, sending the crowd to the exits.

    TIP-INS

    Suns: Shamet (left hip strain) and Johnson (right hip contusion) both returned.

    Clippers: Reggie Jackson remains limited by a groin injury. He was scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting. … George and Leonard walked to center court to address the fans before the game, with George doing all the talking. He said the team’s slogan is Why Not Us. “Let’s go get it this year,” George said.

    UP NEXT

    Suns: Host defending NBA champion Golden State on Tuesday to open a six-game homestand.

    Clippers: Play at Oklahoma City on Tuesday and Thursday in a two-game trip.

    ———

    More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

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  • Dallas Mavericks Pick Up Team Option On Josh Green For 2023-24 Season

    Dallas Mavericks Pick Up Team Option On Josh Green For 2023-24 Season

    The Dallas Mavericks announced Tuesday that the team exercised its fourth-year team option on Josh Green. Doing so keeps Green under contract with the Mavericks through the 2023-24 NBA season.

    Dallas drafted Green with the No. 18 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Green signed a fully guaranteed four-year, $13.6 million contract with the Mavericks after being drafted. He will earn $4.7 million in his fourth season.

    The Mavericks had until October 31 to exercise their team option on Green.

    In his two NBA seasons, Green averaged 4.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 14 minutes in 106 career games while shooting 49.4% from the field. He is also a career 31.1% three-point shooter.

    Green saw a significant increase in his playing time under head coach Jason Kidd during his second season. He appeared in 67 regular season games with averages of 4.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 15.5 minutes. His field goal percentage also improved to .508.

    He also played 17 playoff games during the Mavericks’ run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022. However, his statistical output was negligible, averaging 1.4 points on 28.6% shooting overall.

    Green becomes a restricted free agent in 2024. The Mavericks must offer him a qualifying offer worth $6.7 million to gain the right of first refusal.

    Doyle Rader, Contributor

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