After an eventful summer that led the Dallas Mavericks to sign and trade for Klay Thompson, head coach Jason Kidd took some notes from one of the best basketball coaches in the history of the sport, Phil Jackson.

“To be able to talk basketball, it was a masterclass,” Kidd said to Marc Stein via DLLS Sports. “To be able to sit down and watch video. He was running the video and it was just surreal to be in the same room talking basketball with one of the greatest. I think he's a genius in the game of basketball. It was incredible.”

Jackson has one of the most impressive resumes out of anyone in basketball. He's won 11 NBA Championships, six with the Chicago Bulls and five with the Los Angeles Lakers. Jackson initiated the triangle offense which changed the offensive strategy for decades.

Did Phil Jackson teach Mavericks' Jason Kidd any new lessons?

Jason Kidd met with Phil Jackson over the summer
© Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The triangle offense is one of the most complex to understand but most difficult to guard. While the offense fills five spots on the court, they are essentially reading and reacting to the defense. Jackson obtained the system from Kansas State head coach Tex Winter, who established the offense with the Bulls when he was there.

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Players are designed to move without the ball and not let the ball touch the floor. It features good spacing, cutting, passing, post-play, and a basic set with five spots that must be filled. Essentially, it's learning to read and react to the defense and take what the defense gives you.

“I think we have some of the personnel to run some of the triangle,” Kidd said. “Some version of the triangle to get guys in different positions to be able to be successful. One of the things I did learn about the triangle is that the Laker teams really didn't dribble a lot. There was a lot of passing. Holding the ball for two seconds and getting off of it would be something that hopefully that we can do.”

Luckily for the Mavericks, they have two of the top ball-handlers in the league, Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic. Not to mention, role players like PJ Washington, and Dereck Lively are instrumental in an offense of this caliber. Although the Mavericks made a surprise run to the NBA Finals during the 2023-24 season, they have the pieces to potentially run it back.

Furthermore, initiating some concepts of the triangle can throw teams off of their guard and utilize the skill sets of everyone on the roster.