Jason Kidd Told Mavericks to ‘Go Get’ Kyrie Irving After Hearing of Trade Availability

Highlights

The Mavericks needed a star to pair with Luka Dončić after trading away Kristaps Porziņģis.
Coach Jason Kidd played a crucial role in the Mavericks’ trade to acquire Kyrie Irving, urging the front office to “go get him.”
Despite their initial struggles, Dončić and Irving look like one of the most talented backcourts ever.

Every superstar needs a running mate to win. Luka Dončić had to wait until halfway through his fifth season to get a true championship-caliber co-star in Kyrie Irving. However, had it not been for Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, this dynamic duo would probably not have come into existence.

The Mavs had tried pairing Dončić with Kristaps Porziņģis initially, but that was an unfruitful union. The Latvian couldn’t stay healthy and the first time he was tested in the playoffs, he wilted. So they traded him away.

The following season, the Brooklyn Nets made Irving available during a roster clear-out. Kidd told Vincent Goodwill Yahoo Sports that’s when he had a conversation with Mavs general manager Nico Harrison about bringing Irving in.

“Go get him. Get him. We need another star. We felt that he fit next to Luka, and he was able to get him. Because we knew Kai … and it all worked out. I mean, Kai participated at a high level. But you can see he’s having fun. The joy of basketball is at a high. But the trust that he has in Niko and myself is at a high too, and I think we were honest with him, and he was honest with us.” – Jason Kidd

Not only did the Mavericks have the best assets to get Irving, but they also had the relationship to convince him. Harrison, who was a former executive at Nike for almost two decades, had worked with Irving previously for the shoe company. So when Kidd told Harrison he wanted the three-time All-NBA guard, he got the deal done quickly.

Contrasting Two Seasons for Irving in Dallas

From missing the playoffs to the NBA Finals the following year

Luka Dončić Kyrie Irving Dallas Mavericks

When Irving made his debut in February last year, the Mavericks had a 30-26 record and were the fourth seed. They went 8–12 in the 20 games he played in, finishing as the 11th seed with a dismal 38–44 record.

The Mavs received a lot of criticism at the time for the move since the team looked disorganized, and the star duo couldn’t figure out a way to play alongside each other. There were concerns that Dallas might not extend a new contract to Irving, an impending free agent.

However, going into the lottery meant the Mavs could draft Dereck Lively, who has been a huge part of their revival this season. And after getting an off-season to work with each other, Dončić and Irving looked like a dynamic duo to start the 2023-24 season.

When the Mavs looked like they had hit their ceiling with the existing roster, Harrison made two key trades for PJ Washington and Daniel Gafford, which elevated their play. They ended up with a 50-32 record, good for fifth in the Western Conference, with Dončić and Irving leading the way. They silenced their doubters once again after their regular season success translated into the playoffs as well.

From looking like a disjointed duo to one of the best backcourts the league has ever seen, Dončić and Irving are now in the NBA Finals with a chance to get the Mavericks their second championship.