As the Dallas Mavericks prepare to host the Orlando Magic on Friday night, head coach Jason Kidd again clarified his role — or lack thereof — in the franchise-altering trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
Kidd addressed the situation in a video shared by Ron Harrod Jr. of DLLS Mavs, reiterating that he was not involved in the decision-making process surrounding the deal.
“As I said in Milwaukee, understanding that we have the best owner in the league, the best fans… I know one of our owners Mark Cuban had mentioned I knew about the trade so unfortunately as I’ve said, I was not part of the process and I was informed at the 11th hour. And that’s the truth.”
Kidd’s comments mirror previous statements he made earlier this season, continuing to distance himself from a move that reshaped the Mavericks’ trajectory. The trade, which sent Doncic to Los Angeles, remains one of the most scrutinized decisions in recent franchise history.
Minority owner Mark Cuban previously suggested both Kidd and the front office were aware of the deal, adding another layer to the situation.
“That doesn’t justify it for our coach and our general manager to stand up and trade our best player,” Cuban said on the ‘Intersections’ podcast.
Jason Kidd on the claim that he knew about the Luka trade:
“I was not apart of the process and I was informed at the 11th hour. And that’s the truth.” pic.twitter.com/92T3yt4Ba3
— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports) April 3, 2026
Kidd, however, has consistently maintained that he was not involved, reiterating that stance earlier this week before Dallas’ 123-99 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
“When are we going to move on?” Kidd said, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend. “We have to move forward. We're focused on the present and the future and we've got an incredible opportunity to build.”
Jason Kidd addresses Luka Doncic trade fallout while emphasizing move forward
He also addressed the reported dynamics at the ownership level.
“The things that are going on between two owners is between the two owners,” Kidd said.
He also emphasized the organization’s current direction, pointing to rookie cornerstone Cooper Flagg as a central focus moving forward.
“And the comment I made in Milwaukee, we have to move forward. We planted our flag and that’s Cooper Flagg. And we have an opportunity to build around him and this is an exciting time. Our record is not what it should be. We’ve been in 43 I think clutch games. We are playing hard [and] we appreciate the fans coming especially when we’re not in the playoffs.”
Dallas enters Friday’s matchup with a 24-52 record, sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. The team has struggled to find consistency throughout the season following the roster overhaul that stemmed from the Doncic trade.
Despite the results, Kidd highlighted the effort and resilience shown by his roster down the stretch.
“But understand that this group is playing hard and that’s the character reflection not just for the coach but for the group in that locker room. So, we’re excited about the end of the season and the opportunity that we have going forward. But again, as I’ve said, this is a process that I was not a part of and I found out at the 11th hour.”
The Mavericks will look to close the season on a stronger note as they begin a two-game homestand, starting with Orlando on Friday night.
