"I'm an employee of the Mavs" - Jason Kidd keeps the record straight on not knowing about Luka Doncic trade

10-time All-Star and 2011 NBA Champion Jason Kidd, now the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, is no stranger to the business of the NBA. He maintained a diplomatic stance when quizzed about his involvement (or lack thereof) in the Luka Doncic trade and his plans for the future of the Mavs by the media earlier today. Kidd, widely regarded as one of the most respected floor generals of all time, maintained his composure during the barrage of questions surrounding "the trade" that has been the talk of the NBA for the entire week.

Mavericks GM Nico Harrison, who engineered the trade that sent Doncic to the Lakers, sat next to Jason Kidd in a press conference and revealed that even the Dallas HC found out with the rest of the world that the Slovenian star was being dealt to the Lakers in return for Anthony Davis.

Kidd confirmed that his GM's statement was not conjecture and that he wasn't involved in the trade, as Harrison rightly indicated. He went on to state that he was an employee of the Mavericks, implying that he had no choice but to comply with the decisions made by the top brass.

"I'm an employee of the Mavs," responded Kidd when asked if he was okay with being kept in the dark about such a monumental trade.

"I think I've always said this before. I am the coach. I coach the players that are here. We made a trade, we got to push forward. And that's what we're doing," Kidd added.

Kidd had a simple answer when asked if he was okay with not having control over the roster as a coach.

"Trades happen in this game, coaches change, teams get sold. A lot of things that happen, that are out of our control. But you got to continue doing your job," Kidd remarked.

Jason Kidd is someone who has worked with Anthony Davis before as part of the Lakers coaching staff (2019-21) and has gotten a player with whom he has previously had success working. In pure basketball terms, the Mavericks roster does not look bad at the moment and Kidd, as the face of the team that goes out there and plays has to maintain a diplomatic stance in the face of public pressure.

However, one can only wonder if he would have agreed to the trade if he had a say in roster construction for Dallas, particularly with the success he achieved with the team spearheaded by Luka Doncic.

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Jason Kidd took the Mavericks to two Conference finals and an NBA final in the last three years

It is unheard of for a team that has maintained consistency in a stacked Western Conference (barring their injury-torn 2022-23 season) to move its franchise centerpiece. This is why fans and individuals associated with the league have questioned the Mavericks brass about their decision to move Luka Doncic.

Jason Kidd with Luka Doncic. (Credits: Getty)

On various occasions, Jason Kidd showered praise on Luka Doncic - even stating that he is better than Dirk Nowitzki and in the same atmosphere as Michael Jordan - would probably have had a say against the trade if he was given a choice. However, as he pointed out, the former NBA superstar was not involved in this decision; all he could do was coach his roster to the best of his capabilities.

Kidd, a large point guard who thrived as the centerpiece of a team in his playing days, has now lost the archetype he would have filled on a roster comparable to that of the Mavericks. The basketball world is eagerly waiting to see how he chooses to adapt and work with the roster he has now as the Dallas Mavericks attempt to get back to the NBA's big stage after a controversy-laden but busy trade deadline.