Masai Ujiri says Mavs ‘needed a clean slate to go forward,’ have ‘huge curiosity’ to see Kyrie Irving with Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks became the latest NBA franchise to move on from a head coach this season Tuesday when they announced they mutually agreed to part ways with Jason Kidd.

While meeting with reporters a day later, new Mavericks president and alternate governor Masai Ujiri respectfully characterized that personnel change differently.

Advertisement

“I think it’s very fair to say this decision is on me,” Ujiri said of Kidd’s dismissal in a Wednesday news conference. “I don’t want to put that on any player in any way, and nobody else in this organization.”

Ujiri, who previously helped construct the Toronto Raptors’ first NBA championship roster, explained that he and new Mavericks general manager Mike Schmitz have been taking a hard look at the organization, from top to bottom. The 55-year-old Ujiri described firing Kidd as a “very, very tough decision” but one that was solely his and that he takes responsibility for.

Play 2026 Soccer Pick ‘Em with FOX One and make your picks for the world’s biggest soccer tournament

Kidd’s removal comes on the heels of his fifth season as Dallas’ head coach. A Basketball Hall of Famer, Kidd began his illustrious, 19-season playing career with the Mavericks, who took him with the No. 2 overall pick out of California in the 1994 draft. He won NBA Rookie of the Year with the Mavs and earned the first of his 10 All-Star nods the following season. Eventually, he found his way back to Dallas, where he won an NBA title with the Mavericks during the 2010-11 season.

Advertisement

Kidd’s served as head coach for the Brooklyn Nets (2013-14), Milwaukee Bucks (2014-18) and Mavericks (2021-26). At times, he’s enjoyed significant success, like when he led Dallas to the NBA Finals during the 2023-24 campaign.

But Ujiri made it clear Wednesday that he’s looking to turn the page. He was careful not to blame Kidd for anything or to take any kind of shot at him for that matter.

“A lot of the conversations I had with Jason I think will stay between us,” Ujiri said. “For me, it was really thinking about the future of this team, the structure, maybe taking a lot of information…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/masai-ujiri-says-mavs-needed-a-clean-slate-to-go-forward-have-huge-curiosity-to-see-kyrie-irving-with-cooper-flagg-224136278.html

Author : Andy Backstrom

Publish date : 2026-05-20 22:41:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.