MAVS hire Masai Ujiri as new team President

[DanSchwartzgan]

I think Masai will do what's best for Flagg. If Flagg really wants Kidd to be the coach, and Kidd wants to stay on, it'll all make sense. If neither of those are the case, we'll see a coaching change. There is a world where Kidd doesn't want to be here. Maybe he has what he thinks is a better opportunity. A chance to eventually move into the front office somewhere, and we see a change. I think if that happens, there's a higher chance of a Kyrie trade this summer, or at the trade deadline.

Keeping Kidd or hiring a new coach, to have a full reset, both make sense on some level. Same for the Kyrie options. We'll know soon enough which direction Masai wants to go.

Clearly Masai didn't guarantee a return by Kidd.  He doesn't control one side of that equation.  He did go out of his way to point out his history is to keep inherited coaches.  I don't think firing Kidd now is on the table at all.  I think the harder question is whether Masai would grant permission for Kidd to talk with other teams.  If Kidd goes, it is because he found something else.  I think the most likely outcome is that he stays.

I thought one of the more telling moments of the news conference was when Masai talked about the Mav's young players -Flagg, Lively, Max (are we really talking about dumping Max?) AND Nembhard.  He seemed really emphatic when he talked about building around them.  Something that I've not seen mentioned anywhere...If Masai has has some inkling for months that this might happen, he has a plan.  Yeah, he talks about a transition period and needing to meet everyone.  But, someone that driven has been working his spreadsheets and watching tape.  He knows what he wants to do.

That especially applies to Kyrie.  Was he sincere in his desire to see Flagg and Irving on the floor together?  Or, was he setting a high bar for anyone wanting to talk about a deal.  I really don't see him being traded this summer as I think value will be higher at the TDL.  Anthony and Gay were both traded mid season by Masai and teams aren't going to pay top dollar until they see Kyrie on the court.  Trading him as some point seems to me to be the best way to add to our core longer term.