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Chris Haynes, It's so time, Mark's time. It's so time. This League Uncut is underway and on fire. This should be a good one.
Hey everyone, Mark Stein here with an update and some bonus pod coverage for you. Chris Haynes and I will be back later this week with a full and fresh and new edition of This League Uncut. Promise you will have a pod from the both of us before this week is out. And look, the season is here, the NBA's seventy eighth season. It is basically upon us. By Monday,
all thirty teams we'll be back to work. And that means that very soon Chris and I will be back to our usual cadence of two doses of This League Uncut every week. But I wanted to share something with you in the interim. I do a Saturday radio show in Dallas on Iheart's ninety seven to one the Freak FM in Dallas. This past weekend, I had Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on with me, and Kidd was very open about his plans on a lot of different levels on
the season ahead for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks actually as one of two teams in the league with exhibition games abroad. The Mavericks they open their season Wednesday with two A days. They've got two A day's Wednesday, two A day's Thursday to today's Saturday. They've got Media Day on Friday, so the MAVs and the Minnesota Timberwolves getting a head start on the rest of the league. Take a listen now to my chat with Jason Kidd, where we get into not only Luka don Kyrie Irving his
all star backcourt duo. We get into kids' plans with his rookies, Derek Lively, the second Olivier, maxents prosper what he's going to do with his center rotation. A lot of candor on the season ahead from Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. The Saturday Steinline dribbles forth. Now, thanks for being with us on a pretty momentous Saturday special, because this is the last time for a long time we're going to do a show without having new MAVs basketball to discuss.
That's why we had to line up a truly marquee guest for this one, which happens now joining us for the first time on the Saturday Steinline presented by Panini Trading Cards and Collectibles. It's Works. Coach Jason Kidd. Coach Kidd, welcome to the show.
Thank you signs, thank you for having me. I'm excited to be on the show. Now.
This is going to be a training camp really unlike any other that I can remember for the Mavericks, because you've got six or seven practices, then a long stretch out of the country, three exhibition games in two different countries. What kind of challenges does this schedule present for you and your staff just to get ready for the season.
Yeah, I think this is a little different. I don't think anyone's has done this yet where you brought up. We're going to be in two different countries in twelve days, playing Minnesota and Abu Dhabi, and then in Madrid playing Real Madrid, and so I think it's exciting. I think it's it can be challenging, but I think it's more we're going to look at it as a great time to bond as coaches and players and enjoy the experience.
But I think also, you know, putting in the defensive schemes and the offensive sets will be you know, here with seven practices before we leave on October first. So I think it's it's exciting. Yes, it could be challenging, but we're going to look at it in a positive way that we'll become closer faster with this schedule.
I know you went to Slovenia in the summer to pay Luca visit, and I know you watched him in the World Cup, leading scorer in the tournament, got his team to the quarterfinals. But I mean it's impossible to ignore what Luca himself said. Luca was asked about his leg, which an injury that actually surfaced in the spring, and you know his words were quote not okay. So as his coach, what's your level of concern about where Luca is physically after a summer with his national team.
Well, I think one you brought up we went to visit when I say, well, my family. We spent a week there, uh, in his hometown. It was beautiful city and country. Got to see him practice twice with his national team. He looks he looked incredible, He was doing two a days. He was in great spirits. He loves to play for his national team. You talk about the leg injury. I think hopefully as we go forward here,
he is going to be ready to go. I presume that, you know, sometimes in our career we're not one hundred percent. Maybe we're ninety nine or ninety five percent. The more games you play, the longer your career. I think you can ask anyone, No one's really one hundred percent. But now looking at our roster, hopefully we don't have to play him forty, you know, plus minutes a night with the depth that we have. I thought Nico did an
incredible job this summer. But I think right now I'm excited with Luca and Kai and having you know, Luca ready to go and achieve his goals, and that's, you know, to win a championship.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd here with us on ninety seven won the Freak the Saturday Stinline presented by Panini America. You know, some of us here are old enough to remember you in your playing days. December twenty sixth, nineteen ninety six. I will not forget the date. The first time you were traded, when the Mavericks got you back, that was a February trade. So you yourself know what it's like to be traded mid season for Kyrie Irving now resign.
What do you think it's going to be like to actually have a camp with your two main guys as opposed to trying to do this thing on the fly. And you know, again you've been in the player position, Kyrie's position, he came here last February in a trade and now coaching him to actually have a camp, what does that mean for him?
I think it's huge. I think, you know, sometimes we would love things that just happened right away. Unfortunately that didn't happen last season as a team, I think for those two when you talk about Luca and Kai, Kai played at a high level when you look at the stats, but the most important stat is you know, the win loss, and we just didn't have success. And I think with this summer and training camp, to be able to you know, build that relationship, that trust and that understanding of one
another helps us. And I think again with our preseason, our twelve day trip overseas, it's going to actually I think help us again become closer. But you talk about you know, Kai and what he brings to the team, his leadership, his ability to control the game of scoring playing off the ball. And then also he's played with the best players in the world, and you know that starts with Lebron being able to win a championship there and then also playing with KD. Westbrook, Harden, you know,
Chris Paul. I think you look at the abilities that he's had, you know, to play with stars and All Star Games or Team USA, he blends his game is something that doesn't you know, he can play with other stars, and so I think this is going to be exciting time for mass basketball.
When MAVs fans hit me up, they almost always want to ask about the rookies. They are just insatiable trying to find out more about Derek Lively the second Olivier Max sents prosper from your seat having watched them in a summer league. Now, how NBA ready are they.
Well, they're NBA ready, they got drafted. I think there's different stages of NBA ready. And so when you look at O Max and being able to get him again, uh, I think that was a big, big part of that success that night. And also would belive not short staying, you know, short changing being able to get him and one of the pieces that we need as a as a sinner. It's exciting.
Uh.
They've done everything we've asked them to do. Uh. Each week they get better, and so we're excited. Uh. I look for those rookies to play a lot this season. They're going to be a part of our fabric. There could be a chance of one of them starting, So we'll see.
Well, because you know, the other topic that gets thrown at me constantly is the center position, and obviously you've added Derek Lively there through the draft for Shaun Holmes via trade and Dwight Powell returns on as we're discussing this on September twenty first, twenty second, twenty third range, what's your approach to the center position going into camp? Is the job? Is the starting job up for grabs? How are you looking at that?
It's up for grabs, you know, just understanding that. But I will I will start Lively with the big group and see how that goes. Maybe Josh starting with the big group, maybe Omac starting with the big group, starting both rookies out with the big group, and that being with Grant Kai and Luca. Just to take a look at that to see if you know you asked the
question NBA ready to see where they are? I think anytime you can put rookies or your younger players with the star players to see how they handle the situation, I think you can get a grasp of where they are. Are they ready? And these last couple of weeks, our rookies have taken jumps here and so as I've talked to the coaching staff and Nico about starting lively with with Luca and Kai and Grant, and so we'll see
how that goes. But I can say that we'll probably start both rookies here early in camp, uh and probably in one or if not both games in ABBA, David, just to see how they handle the situation. Right.
And then you mentioned Grant Williams.
You are.
Huge accusation, huge acquisition for this team. What do you what do you want from him? What's your message to Grant Williams about what you need him to provide as a Dallas maverick now leaving Boston?
Yeah? I think.
Uh.
Again, I participated in his first Foundation golf event in Charlotte, and when I talked to him there and uh, and when I've seen him, you know at the practice facility. Is to be himself. We encourage his voice. Uh, he's he's a guy that's about winning, he's about helping others. And then I tell him, just be ready to make open shots. Luca is the best at creating open looks for his teammates, So just be prepared that you're going to be open and we look forward to you making them.
And so that's what that's my message to him is he's a winner. He understands how to play the game, he understands his role and what he means to to the team. And so I'm excited to have him on board because again, he's another voice on that floor that we need.
Mavericks coach Jason Kidd with us here on ninety seven to one The Freak. I mean, this was this the longest offseason of your life. I mean it's like you do the math, It's like the MAVs have not played a real game since April ninth. I mean it's more than five months. What is this weight been like for you just to get just to get back to work with this this group.
Yeah, I think this might be the only second time in my basketball career that I didn't participate in a playoff as a player or maybe maybe two or three as a coach Milwaukee and now this here in Dallas. So it's rare, but I think I think this was actually a positive summer in so many ways of being able to be successful in the draft, also a free agency and uh and give us a young, exciting team
that's athletic. And so I'm excited about this year. Yes, it was a long, long year, but now it's here, and I'm excited to have this opportunity, uh to put these guys in a position to be successful.
Yeah, because I remember you said, and you're in one of your last press conference last season, that you know there's probably gonna be a lot of changes, and that there have been a lot of changes. How do you just feel about how the roster looks compared to where it was five six months ago.
Yeah, I'm excited about the roster when you talk about you know, being young, athletic, uh, playing faster, things that we've talked about this summer with the with the players, I really I think when you look at the depth of our team, we're deep. We didn't even get to talk talk about Exum Jones junior Derek Jones Jr. We got guys who can play different positions, and so I'm excited again for Timmy Uh looking to talk, you know, talk to him about being six Man of the Year.
That would help our team. Uh, you know, put us in a in a really good seat if he's up for six Man of the Year. And I think he's capable of doing that. But you look at Josh and Maxie. Again we talked about the center position. We have three guys there. When you talk about Holmes DP and in the Rooky Live, I think again we have a lot of weapons and it should be exciting.
Our last few moments here with Mavericks coach Jason Kidd on ninety seven won the Freak. I guess maybe the biggest issue you guys might face is the West is a beast again. It seems like several teams have gotten stronger, obviously the defending champs in Denver. How much attention are you paying to what the competition has done this summer?
Yeah, I think you bring up a very good point. The West has gotten better. But I think you know here early and often we just have to focus on ourselves and again get what you know, what we want to do on both ends, not just the offensive end. We feel very talented on the offensive end, but the defensive end, being able to get stops or you know, last year we felt we got misses, we just couldn't
finish the play with rebounding. And so that's something that we'll talk about a lot here early in camp in preseason. But again, if our health and we're playing the way that we're capable or know that we can, we have a a chance to be successful, not just in the West, but in this league. And so I'm really excited about this opportunity.
But this team two practices Wednesday to practices Thursday, then media Day Friday. I think you got another two days and then you guys get on that flight to Abu Dhabi. I am not ready for two a days. Luckily though, I don't think I have to do any running. I'm sure you're ready, and I'm sure you're you're excited to get back out there.
Yeah, we're excited. This is again a little different with the you know, normally we don't have two days, but just the way the schedule is set up to try to get as much as we can before we do take off on October first. So the guys again are they know about the too days here, so everybody's excited.
I will see you soon after that first practice on Wednesday, Coach, thanks to mil for joining us and helping us get ready for the season, because I know and the listen it was a long five months for the listeners. They're ready, they're they're the most ready.
I appreciate Stanzie for having me on the show. I know the Maths fans are ready and we will be ready to.
And that'll do it for us. See you next time. This League on Cuttage and iHeartRadio production. A lockup Christine and Mark Stein