Jason Kidd: 'It Was Weird' Playing Without Luka Dončić After Mavs' Trade with Lakers
February 8, 2025
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd says it's been "weird" to play without Luka Dončić since the guard's trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although Dončić had not played for the Mavs since Dec. 25, the star remained with the team until the Feb. 1 deal that saw him and Anthony Davis swap places.
"Everybody wants to talk about the trade. Yeah, it's different. We gotta keep pushing forward," Kidd said Saturday. "It was weird, but understanding logistics of basketball, it happens. You've got to play the game."
The Mavericks defeated the Houston Rockets 116-105 Saturday in Davis' debut with the team. Davis left the win early with a lower-body injury.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said in his initial press conference after the Dončić trade that Kidd had not found out about the deal until it happened.
"But J-Kidd and I are aligned, and we talk about archetypes, and we talk about the culture that we want to create, so I know the kind of players that he likes without actually talking to him," Harrison said.
Kidd, who was sitting beside Harrison, said he agreed they were aligned while adding he had been "blessed" to spend three and a half seasons coaching Dončić.
"Luka, when I first came here, excited about the opportunity to coach an upcoming star who became a mega-star, and I was just blessed to have that opportunity to coach him," Kidd said. "But when you look at the vision of the team, and what Nico wants to build, I truly support that."
The Mavs are 2-2 since the trade, including consecutive victories over the defending champion Boston Celtics and the skidding Rockets.
Davis' injury raises some concern as to whether the Mavericks can build on that momentum going forward. He went down with an apparent non-contact injury in the third quarter and did not return to the game.
Dončić is meanwhile expected to make his Lakers debut on Monday. LeBron James has been sidelined this weekend with an ankle injury, but if he is able to return, the two stars could play together against the Indiana Pacers.
Kidd and Dončić could be reunited later this month when the Mavs travel to Los Angeles for Feb. 25 road game.
