Charles Barkley said it was a “shocker” after hearing that Jason Kidd had been fired. (Image: ESPN)
The Dallas Mavericks have let go of head coach Jason Kidd, and Charles Barkley was left stunned when the breaking news flashed on his phone during a live ESPN broadcast.
Kidd, who had four years and over $40 million left on his deal, was let go on Tuesday. He had navigated multiple organizational shifts in recent years and also saw Luka Doncic depart in a surprising trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the Mavericks secured Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the draft, they’ve faltered since Doncic’s exit. The choice to dismiss Kidd caught many off guard, including the Inside the NBA panel. It comes after Ben Stiller puts Dave Portnoy in his place with simple three-word comeback
Kidd and the Mavericks had only finalized a multi-year extension in October, but newly appointed Mavericks president Masai Ujiri opted for a fresh direction just two weeks into his tenure. Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson were just beginning their pregame analysis of Game 1 between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers when word broke.
While the quartet discussed the Knicks-Cavaliers matchup, Barkley glanced at his phone and abruptly exclaimed, “Oh my goodness.” Smith quipped, “What do you need a towel?”
Jason Kidd on the side of the court with the Dallas Mavericks (Image: Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Barkley went on, “No, Jason Kidd just got fired. Wow. That’s a shocker there.” Host Johnson then confirmed, “Yes, it is breaking news.
“Breaking news, just came on my phone,” Barkley responded. While Johnson seemed aware of the sudden dismissal, Smith was clearly caught by surprise. “How do we know it’s real?” he asked. Barkley replied, “Well, just from Bleacher Report.” O’Neal remained quiet throughout, but then jokingly addressed Barkley as if he was ESPN’s NBA insider, Shams Charania. “Hey, Shams,” he said.
The panel then shifted their attention back to Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Kidd, a former NBA Champion as a player with the Mavericks, took over as head coach in 2021 with full support from the front office, until Ujiri was brought on as president on May 4.
Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont extended Kidd’s contract during Dallas’ Finals run in 2023-24, and did so once more on October 5 last year. The Knicks sought an interview with Kidd ahead of this season, but the Mavericks turned down the request and handed him a new multi-year deal.
“As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe this is the right moment for a new direction for our team,” Ujiri said in a statement. “We have high expectations for this franchise and a responsibility to build a basketball organization capable of sustained championship contention.
“We will conduct a thorough, disciplined search for our next head coach and continue to evaluate our entire basketball operations staff to ensure we compete at the standard Mavs fans expect and deserve.” ESPN reports that Kidd was not consulted throughout the process that ultimately resulted in his dismissal. During his time as Mavericks coach, Kidd compiled a 205-205 record, guiding the team to the NBA Finals in 2023-24, while also advancing to the Western Conference Finals earlier in his tenure.
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