Jason Kidd and the Mavericks finished a tough, first-round playoff series against the Clippers on Friday with a 114-101 win.
Kidd was handsomely rewarded for that series victory and his performance throughout his first three seasons as Dallas’ head coach.
The Mavericks announced Monday the team signed Kidd to a multi-year contract extension.
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Kidd led the Mavericks to playoff appearances in two of his three seasons, and the team won 50-plus games in each of those campaigns. Dallas reached the Western Conference Finals in his first season as coach. The Mavericks may reach similar heights in 2024, as their playoff run is ongoing and both Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are playing well and, more importantly, coexisting.
Though Kidd’s extension was hardly a surprise, its timing is notable. Why? The Lakers fired Darvin Ham and would have been interested in bringing Kidd aboard to replace him if the Mavericks coach was available.
Here’s what to know about Kidd’s contract extension and the rumors about his candidacy with the Lakers.
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The full details of Kidd’s contract with the Mavericks are not yet known. What is known is that he signed a multi-year deal to remain in Dallas, which will give him security in what is his third career NBA head coaching stop.
Kidd’s original contract was set to expire following the 2024-25 NBA season, so Dallas is being proactive in retaining the veteran head coach. And as mentioned, the team may have been willing to put pen to paper to avoid any temptation Kidd may have had to join the Lakers and try to guide LeBron James’ squad to an NBA title.
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Kidd was expected to be “an obvious target for the Lakers” during their coaching search if he became available, per long-time basketball reporter Marc Stein.
Los Angeles holding an interest in Kidd would hardly be surprising. He worked as an assistant coach for the team from 2019 to 2021 and helped Frank Vogel lead the squad to an NBA championship during the COVID-impacted 2020 season.
Kidd’s combination of high-level playing experience — he is a 10-time All-Star and an MVP runner-up — head coaching experience and relationship with members of the Lakers would make him a natural fit as Los Angeles’ leader.
But the Lakers didn’t expect to have a shot at Kidd with his extension looming, as Stein reported.
Still, Kidd’s extension in Dallas should officially quash any possibility of him rejoining the Lakers to take aim at another title. He will instead stick with the Mavericks, where he’s closer — for now, at least — to achieving that same goal.
