Despite Cooper Flagg joining the Dallas Mavericks in less than two weeks, the last few weeks have been particularly stressful for Mavs fans due to the drama surrounding Jason Kidd and his potential departure this summer. While the Mavericks shut down the New York Knicks' request to interview him, and all signs are pointing to him staying as of now, things could change quickly as the Knicks' pursuit isn't going to end just yet.
On top of the Knicks' relentless pursuit of Kidd to make him their next head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau, the Mavericks are in danger of losing a few other coaches. Well-respected assistant coach Sean Sweeney has drawn interest from the San Antonio Spurs to join Mitch Johnson's staff, and according to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, Jared Dudley has received interest from the Phoenix Suns, Memphis Grizzlies, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
If one of these teams were able to get their hands on Dudley or Sweeney, this could force Kidd to want to leave the Mavericks, as both of those coaches are close to Kidd. He coached Dudley back with the Los Angeles Lakers, and he and Sweeney have been coaching together for years.
Sweeney or Dudley leaving could push Kidd to want out of Dallas
One of those coaches leaving Dallas could be the straw that breaks the camel's back, as it was already reported that the Knicks-Kidd interest was mutual, and either one of those moves could make Kidd reconsider his role with the Mavs and push for Nico Harrison to trade him to New York.
For Kidd to leave, it would require Dallas to entertain the idea, which seems unlikely, but everything could go south if Sweeney or Dudley hit the road. Both coaches have been close with Kidd for years, and they were both part of his Mavericks staff when they reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024.
Coaching continuity is important in today's NBA, and they must find a way to keep Dudley and Sweeney in Dallas to ensure Kidd stays happy ahead of next season. The Mavericks hold Kidd's future in their hands since he is under contract, but he has been traded as a coach in the past, and if he pushes hard enough or shows that he is unhappy in Dallas, Harrison may decide to begin with a new coach to begin the Flagg era.
Not having Kidd fully bought into the team's vision right before drafting Flagg would be a disaster, and Harrison must find out if he is 101 percent invested in what they are building in Dallas. If he is, they could offer him a contract extension and shut down this Knicks chatter once and for all.
The Mavericks are about to start a new era, and while Kidd seems excited about the potential to coach Flagg, losing those close to him could frustrate him. The start of the Flagg era begins tomorrow in Dallas, as he is set to take his official pre-draft visit with the Mavericks, and making sure Sweeney and Dudley stay in Dallas will help all of the news over the next few weeks be about Flagg and not their head coach potentially leaving for the Knicks.