Jason Kidd is pushing back after Mark Cuban publicly criticized the Dallas Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Dončić, making it clear he wants the organization to stop reliving the move and start focusing on what comes next.
Hours before the Mavericks’ 24-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Kidd was asked about comments Cuban recently made on the Intersections podcast. Cuban, who sold his majority stake in the franchise in 2023, said the Dončić deal “doesn’t justify it for our coach and our general manager to stand up and trade our best player.” Kidd, who has spent the last several months answering questions about the blockbuster trade, responded bluntly.
“When are we going to move on?” Kidd said, according to the Dallas Morning News. “We have to move forward. We’re focused on the present and the future and we’ve got an incredible opportunity to build.”
Kidd also downplayed the growing tension between Cuban and the Mavericks’ current ownership group, led by Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson. He described the dispute as “between two owners,” but revealed that he contacted Cuban directly after the podcast episode was released.
The coach did not disclose details of the conversation, though his remarks suggested frustration with how often the subject continues to overshadow the team.
The exchange is notable because Cuban was the person who brought Kidd back to Dallas. After spending four seasons with the Mavericks as a player and helping the franchise win its only NBA championship in 2011, Kidd returned in 2021 as head coach.
Cuban also hired Nico Harrison as general manager that same year. The two helped guide Dallas to the NBA Finals in 2024, only months after Cuban sold his controlling stake in the franchise at a $3.5 billion valuation while retaining a 27 percent share.
Cuban has become increasingly vocal about the team’s direction since the sale. Earlier this week, he said he regretted selling the Mavericks to Adelson and Dumont, even though he still believes selling was the right decision. “I don’t regret selling,” Cuban said on the podcast. “I regret who I sold to.”
Much of that frustration appears tied to the February 2025 trade that sent Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and Max Christie.
The move triggered immediate backlash across the league and among Dallas fans. Davis appeared in only 29 games before being traded to the Washington Wizards earlier this season, while Harrison — who orchestrated the deal — was fired in November.
The Mavericks are now trying to move into a new era built around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, but the fallout from the Dončić trade continues to follow the franchise.
