Charles Barkley’s shocked response during the broadcast after the Mavericks let go of Jason Kidd

Shock Over Jason Kidd’s Departure from Mavericks

Charles Barkley was taken aback by the news that Jason Kidd has been let go by the Mavericks. He found out during ESPN’s “NBA Tipoff” show, right before the Knicks pulled off an unexpected 22-point comeback against the Cavaliers.

Barkley exclaimed, “Oh my god. Jason Kidd just got fired. Wow, that’s shocking. Just got it on my phone.”

The other hosts, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Shaquille O’Neal, shared his surprise, although, in retrospect, perhaps they shouldn’t have been too surprised.

Previous reports indicated that Kidd was being considered for the Mavericks’ president of basketball operations role after Nico Harrison was dismissed last November. It’s understandable that new CEO Masai Ujiri would prefer not to have someone who was vying for his position less than a year ago.

Ujiri stated, “As we evaluate the future of our basketball program, we believe now is the right time to define a new direction for our team. We have high expectations for this franchise and responsibility to build a basketball organization that can consistently compete for championships.”

Barkley noted that Kidd still has $40 million left on his contract following an extension signed in October. This hefty sum certainly adds to the shock of the situation. “I’m a little surprised,” Barkley said. “Looking at $40 million, I want to go in that direction. Jason is a great coach. Masai, I think you know how much we respect him. I believe he has someone in mind.”

Kidd is now available as a free agent. O’Neal expressed a desire to see him coach the Orlando Magic, one of his former teams.

As for the Mavericks, it’s still uncertain who will be their next head coach, but rumors have emerged that Jeff Van Gundy might be a contender.

Despite the upheaval, Dallas seems to be positioned relatively well for the future, particularly with Cooper Flagg as a cornerstone. However, with fans still reeling from the Luka Doncic trade almost a year and a half ago, there’s clearly a long road ahead to rebuild that trust.