Is Jason Kidd the best coach to maximize Luka Dončić’s potential?

The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly honing in on Jason Kidd as their new head coach. Can he get the most out of Luka Dončić in Dallas?

It looks like the Mavericks’ head coach search is coming to an end.

According to Tim MacMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Dallas is in the process of hiring Jason Kidd as their new head coach.

That’s not all. Reporting also indicates the franchise will turn to Nike executive Nico Harrison as their new general manager.

Between those two, Luka Dončić should be in good hands

Jason Kidd’s coaching career isn’t great

Kidd’s head coaching career has been a mixed bag. He got his start with the Brooklyn Nets in 2013, but his tenure there didn’t end happily. He made it to the second round of the playoffs in his debut season. However, the team traded his coaching rights to the Bucks.

His potential went unfulfilled in Milwaukee. He lost in the first round in Year 1, missed the playoffs in Year 2 and couldn’t get past the first round again in Year 3. He was fired midway through his fourth season. He has a career record of 183-190 and is 9-15 in the playoffs.

Despite that, Kidd apparently had major support within the Mavericks organization. According to McMahon and Wojnarowski, VP of basketball operations Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki, now in an advisory role in the franchise, advocated for him to become the head coach.

Former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle endorsed Jason Kidd on his way out

“I just think that it would be a great situation for Luka, and I think it would be an amazing situation for Jason,” the new Pacers’ head coach told ESPN. “I’m the only person on the planet that’s coached both of those guys and that knows about all of their special qualities as basketball players. To me, that just would be a great marriage, but that’s just an opinion.”

Anyone who may be skeptical of Kidd should feel reassured by the presence of Harrison. Marc Spears of ESPN called Harison “one of the brightest and creative basketball minds I’ve met in covering the NBA since ’99.”

Harrison also has a relationship with Dončić thanks to his involvement in the player’s move from Nike to Jordan.

Essentially, the Mavericks are surrounding Dončić with player-friendly names who will work to set him up to succeed.