Jason Kidd is out as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks after five seasons, the team announced Tuesday night. The move came after a 26-56 finish this past season, the franchise's worst record since 2017-18, and the team's failure to reach the playoffs in back-to-back years following the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Mavericks compiled a 205-205 record under Kidd, who took over ahead of the 2021-22 season after Rick Carlisle departed for the Indiana Pacers. Kidd had signed a contract extension last summer and had four years and more than $40 million left on his deal at the time of the split, according to Yahoo Sports.
"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," team president Masai Ujiri said in a statement. "We are thankful for Jason's leadership, his professionalism and his commitment to the team. In my short time here, I've developed an enormous amount of respect for what he has built. He will always be an important part of the Mavericks family."
Kidd's tenure included a run to the 2024 NBA Finals alongside Doncic, but the team has struggled since the trade that sent the Slovenian star to Los Angeles. Dallas has not returned to the playoffs since that deal went through, and the collapse in the standings prompted a sweeping front office overhaul.
The Mavericks hired Ujiri, a former Toronto Raptors executive, as team president earlier this month, replacing Nico Harrison, who was fired following significant fan backlash over the Doncic trade. The organization then brought in Mike Schmitz as general manager. Ujiri and Schmitz will now search for a new head coach.
Kidd, who was selected by the Mavericks with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 NBA Draft and is a Hall of Famer, previously held head coaching stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks before returning to Dallas. His overall coaching record with three franchises spans more than a decade in the league.
The roster entering next season carries some reason for optimism. Duke star Cooper Flagg, taken with the No. 1 overall pick last summer, will be entering his second year. The Mavericks also hold the No. 9 pick in next month's draft. Guard Kyrie Irving, who missed all of the 2025-26 season recovering from a torn ACL, is expected back on the court. The new head coach will inherit that group and be charged with reversing the franchise's recent decline.
Ujiri and Schmitz will lead the coaching search.
