The last game the Dallas Mavericks won, they had Kyrie Irving serving as the heart of their offense. Sadly, when facing the Sacramento Kings, the Mavericks’ season would take a turn for the worse. A gruesome sequence saw KAI tear his ACL. Just like that, the Mavs were without both Irving and Anthony Davis, leaving no clear scoring option on their table.
As a head coach, it’s been a stifling season for Jason Kidd. The team’s action maker, Luka Doncic was traded and he has lost both his stars to injuries. Ideally, it would leave the coach with a decision to make. Which player steps up? Is it Klay Thompson, a “future Hall of Famer” in the eyes of Kidd? The legendary point guard does trust the former Warriors guard, but he thinks the team needs to make an effort to make plays for him.
Aside from that’s there really no hierarchy. Tonight, 6’1″ guard Brandon Williams stepped up off the bench to score a team-high 31 points. Naji Marshall had a monstrous double-double. But every team has some nights where unexpected players rise to the ocassion. So how is it different forr the Mavs? The way Kidd sees it, this this could be a regularity for the Dallas Mavericks. Every player stands on equal grounds.
Jan 17, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd yells to his team during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
“There’s no number one option. It’s team. Everyone touches it and whoever is open shoot it. We don’t have a number one or number two. We’re not built like that right now. We’re built on team. Someone hasto sacrifice, rive in. If you get a layup take it, if not pitch it out. If you got a wide open three, take it,” the Mavericks head coach admitted after the loss to the Grizzlies.
For a team which has lost bth of it’s offensive motors to injuries, this strategy way serve well in building up confidence. Max Christie could never get eleven shots when playing for the Lakers. Similarly, players such as Williams get the chance to earn the Mavs’ trust in these dark times.
But will it help them?
The Mavericks’ deep troubles
Jason Kidd’s approach to create the best shot irrespective of the player does have it’s advantages. The Mavericks could potentially have a roster filled with depth and readiness once the next season rolls out. Furthermore, for young players this is a gold mine that they must fully utilize. It could become a process of honing their skills and creating strong team synergy.
However, the concerns which lie beyond are drastic for the Mavericks. According to Shams Charania, watching Irving’s injury could be a sign Anthony Davis sits out the rest of the season too. The Brow will take this time to fully heal and improve his conditioning as Dallas seems far from making a Play-In run.
The development could also mean Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively opt for a similar decision. Kidd truly believes having a depleted roster with no pecking order “can mean we can be dangerous because no one can load up on one person and we got to take advantage of that,”. In such a system, a sophomore like Olivier-Maxence Prosper could have immensely benefitted.
Unfortunately, right as the chance presented itself, the 22 year old was also bit by the injury bug. According to Charania, the firmer 24th pick suffered a serious wrist injury and will require a season-ending surgery immediately. So as far as creating a stable rotation, Jason Kidd is devoid of having the players he would usually promote at this time.
This is only a part of their troubles. Given Irving’s injury lte in the season, it’s unlikely for him to join the Mavericks in the first half of the next season. This leaves Davis as the only primary offense weapon, and a significantly decreased chance at posting a playoff-worthy record for the second year running?
Would AD want to hang around for the entire season with no title aspirations? Because of how quick the foundation has fallen apart, it’s tough to nvision what th future of the Mavs looks like. It could be in severe peril or it could be a ravishing recovery. Whichever way it treads, it seems the extremes are hard to avoid.
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