Mavs sign Jason Kidd to multi-year contract extension

With an eye squarely on winning a championship, the Dallas Mavericks signed coach Jason Kidd to a multi-year contract extension on Monday.

Now in his third season with the Mavs, Kidd has led Dallas to a 140-106 record in the regular season and a 13-11 record in the playoffs. That includes an appearance in the 2022 Western Conference Finals, and an appearance this year in the conference semifinals that start Tuesday.

“We are excited to have Coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension,” Mavs Governor Patrick Dumont said. “Kidd led our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons, and we are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise.”

This year the Mavs won the Southwest Division title with a 50-32 record. It was the franchise’s fifth divisional championship, something that didn’t go unnoticed by management.

“I have known Jason for a long time, and I cannot think of a better, more qualified candidate to lead this team going forward,” Mavs General Manager Nico Harrison said. “As a former NBA Champion Hall of Fame player, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role which cannot be duplicated.

“He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league, and I look forward to working alongside him as we continue to build upon the culture and foundation of success he’s helped foster throughout his tenure as head coach.”

Kidd and the Mavs will continue building on that culture when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

“I’m very thankful for Patrick and Nico, to be able to have a new deal going forward,” Kidd said. “I truly believe Patrick and Nico are building a championship team and I’m happy to be a part of it.

“The work that the coaching staff and the players are putting in means a lot, and hopefully they saw that through the good and through the stuff that we had to get better at. This is work in progress. This is a very talented team. To be a part of it, I’m very blessed.”

Kidd said he may have a moment of reflection on what this extension means – maybe — after this season is over.

“And then there’s always stuff to do after the season,” Kidd said. “I’m very humble and thankful for this opportunity with the Mavs to try to win a championship.

“Like I told the players this morning, I thanked them for this opportunity because it’s them that helped get this deal. The development, being able to win, and then also having the opportunity to win a championship, so I’m very thankful for that.”

One player who Kidd has helped develop is center Daniel Gafford. Acquired in a trade with the Washington Wizards on Feb. 8, Gafford has turned into a menace in the middle of the Mavs’ attack on both ends of the floor, and he credits Kidd with boosting his confidence.

“There’s times where I’ve shown a lot of frustrations and shown my feelings on my sleeves out on the court,” Gafford said. “At the end of the day, I’ve got teammates that always push me to try to get myself out of the funk. But (Kidd) does the same thing, too.

“He tells me to just keep going, keep doing the things that I’m doing on an elite level, and just kind of be consistent with it. That’s pretty much the best advice he can give me at this point right now.”

In Kidd’s first season with the Mavs during the 2021-’22 season, they racked up a 52-30 record in addition to advancing to the West finals. And even when the Mavs posted a 38-44 record last year, that failure enabled them to secure center Dereck Lively II and forward Olivier Maxence-Prosper in the NBA Draft.

“Last year we learned a lot about character,” Kidd said. “There were a couple of pivots there late in the season and it turned out to be the right thing. At the time, everyone had their opinion.

“Understanding what the plan is internally, I thought we executed the plan and we were thankful to get O-Max and Lively out of that plan. But being calm and not losing your mind or being offended at what others say turned out to be the right thing.”

It’s that calmness, combined with player development on and off the floor — along with establishing a winning mindset — is what Kidd acknowledged he’s most proud that he’s instilled in the Mavs.

“We’re trying to win a championship,” Kidd said. “We have an opportunity. We’re playing a very talented team in Oklahoma City.

“But understanding that the foundation is being built and our ultimate goal is to win a championship, and hopefully we can do that here in the next three years.”

Gafford, meanwhile, gave Kidd two thumbs up for securing a contract extension.

“(It’s) obviously well deserved,” Gafford said. “(He’s) one of the, I would say, best coaches this year from what I’ve been seeing. Just real poised, knows how to assert himself and assert the dominance in the locker room whenever we need to get our heads going straight.

“But in all honesty, biggest congrats to him. It’s something I’m pretty sure he’s been working towards for the longest. I can’t wait to see what’s next for the team, most definitely.”

X: @DwainPrice