Coach Jason Kidd Calls For Mavs Fans to ‘Be Patient’
The Dallas Mavericks saw their 2022-23 season come to an end on Sunday afternoon following a 138-117 blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
Dallas essentially threw in the towel on their play-in tournament hopes prior to Friday's loss to the Chicago Bulls, as the organization made the choice to sit their core rotation, including Kyrie Irving not playing at all and Luka Doncic playing just 13 total minutes.
Following Sunday's loss, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd shared a message toward Mavs fans who may be concerned with the trajectory of the franchise.
"Be patient," Kidd told MFFL (Mavs Fans For Life). "When you're building a championship team, you have to be patient. It doesn't happen overnight."
Two things can be true: building a championship does take time and could be a multiple year process, but when your team is led by a superstar like Doncic, you're always on the clock, and Kidd and the rest of the organization knows that.
Trading for Kyrie Irving, after losing Jalen Brunson last summer for nothing, speaks to the Mavericks' brass moving in somewhat of a panicked manner. The hands on the clock are moving a little faster, so being patient isn't really an option.
"Success doesn't come with one trade. It takes a couple seasons," Kidd said referencing the Irving trade. "Going through that in '08 or '09 when I came here, we didn't win right away but we did end up putting the right team together to finally win a championship."
If the Mavericks do indeed retain their first-round pick this year, that will add more ammo for the front office to make another trade, which is what the team is considering doing according to NBA Insider Marc Stein. He reported on Sunday that Dallas plans to explore a trade for 'win-now talent' if the lottery balls fall their way come May 16.
After a trip to the Western Conference Finals last season being followed up with this debacle of a campaign? The Mavericks know they have work to do.
"I think just a little patience, especially with change, is needed," Kidd said. "We're not happy with the way things finished but we promise that we will continue to work and push forward and we'll get better."
Kidd needs to hope that’s a promise he can keep.
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