Jason Kidd Sends Parting Message to Mavericks After Being Fired

The Dallas Mavericks, led by new president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz, made the unexpected decision on Monday to fire head coach Jason Kidd after five seasons.

Dallas is coming off a 26–56 campaign, but across his tenure, Kidd led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024.

However, with a range of roster changes following the midseason trade of Luka Doncic during the 2024–25 season and a subsequent playoff miss this year, Ujiri viewed the situation as an opportunity to reset the franchise and begin a new era built around Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg.

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On Thursday, Kidd shared a farewell message to the Mavericks organization, thanking the franchise, players, and fans for their support throughout his five-year tenure.

"The last five years in Dallas have meant more to my family and me than I can fully put into words," Kidd said. "I want to sincerely thank the Mavericks organization, the players, coaches, staff, front office, ownership, and every employee behind the scenes who put their heart into this team every single day. It has been an honor to work alongside so many incredible people.

"To the players, thank you for your trust, your commitment, and the battles we went through together. I am proud of what we built, the relationships formed, and the way you competed night in and night out.

"To the fans, thank you for embracing me and supporting this team with so much passion. Your energy, loyalty, and love for the Mavericks make Dallas one of the truly special places in sports.

"And to the city of Dallas, thank you for welcoming my family and me with open arms. The friendships and memories created here will stay with us forever. While this chapter comes to an end, I leave with nothing but gratitude and respect for everyone who was part of this journey."

Kidd will now be one of the more prominent names on the coaching market if he chooses to continue coaching, while the Mavericks are already beginning their search for a new head coach to help build around Flagg.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 1:35 PM.