The Dallas Mavericks once again find themselves at the center of basketball’s biggest story, having won the NBA draft lottery and with it the right to the first pick in the upcoming draft, which the team will almost undoubtedly use to select Duke standout Cooper Flagg.

It’s a much brighter headline for the Mavs than the previous one that had haunted them over the past few months—the decision to trade away superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since the trade, fans have protested and called for the job of general manager Nico Harrison.

While the incoming addition of Flagg will definitely help heal the wound, there’s still new details emerging from the Luka trade that are quite jarring.

Appearing as a guest on the Dan Patrick Show on Thursday, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd revealed that he had not spoken with Doncic since he was traded.

“I texted him that morning, and that’s the last time I’ve talked to him,” Kidd said. When asked how Doncic responded, Kidd summarized. “I don’t think he was too happy. From the experience of being traded, maybe being surprised. Upset, feelings are high. But I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka. He’s an incredible person, and we all know his talent. He’s one of the best in the world.”

Kidd also told Patrick that he found out about the trade in the hotel just hours before it went through, and that there was not a discussion about the trade between himself and Harrison before the deal was made.

Again, with the Mavericks now in line to land Flagg, the immediate future already looks far brighter than it did just a few days ago for the franchise. Still, the Luka trade is not going to be forgotten in the city of Dallas any time soon.

More NBA on Sports Illustrated


This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jason Kidd Shared Surprising Details on When He Last Communicated With Luka Doncic.

Test hyperlink for boilerplate