Wolves’ Connelly Discusses Offseason, Finch, Dosunmu, More
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday at his end-of-season press conference, Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly repeatedly stated that there was “more good than bad” for the franchise in 2025/26, but made it clear he wasn’t satisfied with a season that ended with a second-round playoff exit, per Dave Campbell of The Associated Press.
“We have a lot of confidence in our guys, but it would be disingenuous to sit in front of this group and say we’re happy with the sixth seed, we’re happy with not being a home-court playoff team, we’re happy that our last three closeout games have been lopsided,” Connelly said. “We have to be realistic about what we have, which is way more good than bad, but we know that we’re not good enough right now.”
During his exit interview over the weekend, Timberwolves forward Naz Reid suggested to reporters that “moodiness” was an issue for the team, and Connelly stressed on Tuesday that consistency and “emotional maturity” will be a priority going forward, as Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes.
“There’s too many nights when we were not as locked in as we should be, and that’s unacceptable, plain and simple,” Connelly said.
Connelly, who surrendered a massive package for Rudy Gobert during his first year on the job in Minnesota, has a well-earned reputation for being willing to take big swings on the trade market. While he declined to get into specifics about what sort of moves he might be looking to make this summer, he vowed to be “as aggressive as possible” and said the front office wouldn’t be afraid to “mess up loudly,” according to Campbell.
“I’d rather get fired for trying than sit here and just do the job in survival mode,” Connelly said, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “So risky, I think, is if you’re a championship-level team and make a huge trade. I don’t know what level of risk there is when you’re bounced in the second round. I think we’re open to it. Certainly, we’re not driven by it.”
Here’s more from Connelly’s presser:
- Connelly lauded head coach Chris Finch for the job he did with the Timberwolves this season, especially in the first round of the playoffs, Krawczynski notes. “It’s not an easy job,” the Timberwolves’ president said. “He was masterful, I think, in the Denver series. We’re not here without Finchy. The playoff success we’ve had. I’m just thankful that he’s a partner and thankful that he’s our head coach.”
- Getting a new deal done with unrestricted free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu will be a priority for the Timberwolves, according to Connelly. “Ayo’s our most important free agent,” he said, per Hine. “He’s a guy we thought we knew pretty well, and we liked him from afar. Now seeing him day to day, we love him. I think he fits in not just on the court but off the court. I think his best basketball is in front of him.”
- As Campbell relays, Connelly acknowledged that the Wolves will need to add more shooting to their roster with Donte DiVincenzo expected to be sidelined for most or all of next season after tearing his Achilles last month. There’s still no specific timeline for DiVincenzo’s return. “We think he’s going to be back,” Connelly said. “We don’t know when.”
- 2025 first-round pick Joan Beringer didn’t have a major role as a rookie, but the Timberwolves are excited about what he can bring to the table going forward, according to Hine. “We think his future is unbelievably bright,” Connelly said. “I would think he’ll be a multi-position defender. He’s a guy that has the complete faith and buy-in of not just our coaching staff, but, most importantly, the other players on the team believe in him. So, we think he’s going to be a really impactful piece moving forward.”
- Rumors earlier in the spring indicated that Connelly was one of Dallas’ front office targets but that he would likely sign an extension with the Timberwolves. Although he didn’t address the possibility of a new deal on Tuesday, Connelly expressed no desire to leave Minnesota, writes Krawczynski. “I go to work happy every day, got great partners,” the veteran exec said. “It’s been awesome. Just keep trying to get better. At some point, we want to have this press conference after a (championship) parade … But it’s a great place to work. I just want to get better. It’s unfair to sit up here and be critical of players and how can we add. I need to do a better job for this organization.”
Stein’s Latest: LeBron, Sixers, Magic, Blazers, Giannis
Has LeBron James played his last NBA game? That’s the question Marc Stein wondered on Saturday at his Substack.
Stein and people he trusts around the league think James is likely to play a record-extending 24th season in 2026/27, but Stein acknowledges that no one — maybe not even James — knows the answer.
James, a 21-time All-NBA member, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. The 41-year-old’s “runaway preference” would be to remain with the Lakers, Stein writes, and they’re believed to be open to that scenario as well — with a caveat.
According to Stein, Los Angeles would like to bring back LeBron at a “much lower number” than the $52.6MM he made this season. However, Stein views that scenario as “thorny,” since James has never accepted the sort of discounted rate the Lakers might prefer to offer.
Still, the other teams that could appeal to James — the Warriors, Cavaliers, Knicks and Clippers — may not be able to offer him much in free agency either, Stein notes. That might make retirement a more viable option, even though Stein suspects the NBA’s all-time leading will play another season.
Stein also detailed several other items of interest in his Sunday edition of The Stein Line:
- Bob Myers, the president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, recently said the Sixers‘ new head of basketball operations would have “a lot of authority” but that he expects to be involved in major personnel and roster decisions moving forward. That has led to a “widespread belief” around the league that Myers will explore the possibility of hiring Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh for the job, according to Stein, who points out that Saleh worked with Myers in Golden State. However, Stein hears Saleh is expected to remain with Atlanta, as the 76ers would require permission to speak to him, and that seems unlikely to be granted after Saleh finished second in Executive of the Year voting.
- According to Stein, there have been “rumbles” about the Sixers potentially being intrigued by Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, but he’s still under contract for another year and Minnesota didn’t show any interest in letting him speak to Dallas before the Mavericks decided to hire Masai Ujiri.
- Regardless of what happens with the front office search, Stein has heard chatter throughout the season about Sixers assistant GM Jameer Nelson potentially being promoted to an “expanded role.” The former NBA point guard is highly regarded in Philadelphia and in the league and is “routinely described” as a possible future GM, Stein writes. 76ers consultant Neil Olshey and Thunder executive Vince Rozman, a longtime former Sixers employee, have also been connected to Philadelphia’s front office vacancy after the team fired Daryl Morey.
- The Magic hope to hire an experienced head coach to replace Jamahl Mosley, per Stein, and Billy Donovan is still viewed as a “strong candidate” for the position despite backing out of the same job to return to the University of Florida in 2007. Tom Thibodeau is another experienced coach who remains a free agent, Stein notes.
- Sources tell the Stein Line that Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori can be added to the list of names the Trail Blazers have expressed interest in as they search for a new head coach. For what it’s worth, former Blazers head coach Terry Stotts threw his name into the hat recently as well, texting longtime Oregon sportswriter Dwight Jaynes that he’d like another crack at the job. “I would love to come back to the Blazers and Portland,” Stotts told Jaynes. Stotts, who confirmed his agent has reached out to Portland about the position, spent the last two seasons as the Warriors’ top assistant.
- According to Stein, the following statement from president of basketball operations Brad Stevens is among the reasons the Celtics keep popping up as a potential suitor for Giannis Antetokounmpo: “One of the things that we’ve got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim,” Stevens said. “And I think we do need to add to our team to do that.”
Chris Finch Expected To Remain Timberwolves’ Head Coach
Within a story examining the big-picture implications of the Timberwolves being eliminated from the playoffs following Friday’s lopsided Game 6 loss to San Antonio, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic states that head coach Chris Finch “will be back for his sixth full season” in 2026/27.
Finch has compiled a 258-193 record (.572 win-loss percentage) in parts of six seasons at the helm in Minnesota. The Timberwolves have posted a winning record and made the playoffs in each of his five full years on the job, including back-to-back trips to the Western Conference finals in 2024 and 2025.
The Wolves had another uneven regular season in 2025/26, winning 49 games for the second straight year and entering the playoffs as the sixth seed. Minnesota upset the third-seeded Nuggets in round one before falling to the No. 2 Spurs in the Western semifinals.
Finch was a longtime assistant before he landed the Wolves’ top coaching job in February 2021. The 56-year-old, who has two years left on his contract, Krawczynski notes, suggested after the team was eliminated that some roster tweaks might be necessary to try to catch up to the defending champion Thunder and the rising Spurs.
“You either gotta be a problem or have a solution,” Finch said. “You have to be built in a way that troubles your opponent with something they don’t have or have something to counter what they do have.”
Krawczynski also confirms that owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are interested in signing president of basketball operations Tim Connelly to a contract extension, and writes that team employees on both the business and basketball sides of the organization were happy Matt Lloyd stayed in his role as general manager. Lloyd was a finalist for the Bulls’ top basketball operations job before they hired Bryson Graham.
Mavericks Rumors: Ujiri, Dumont, Front Office, Kidd
While the Mavericks‘ hiring of Masai Ujiri was somewhat unexpected, it makes sense for a number of reasons, Marc Stein writes in his latest story for The Stein Line (Substack link).
As Stein reported multiple times, there had been a belief around the NBA that governor Patrick Dumont was hoping to find a big name to run Dallas’ basketball operations department, and the longtime Raptors president certainly fits that bill. Dumont also wanted to stick to his self-imposed deadline of filling the position by the middle of May. The draft lottery takes place on May 10.
League sources tell Stein that Dumont wanted to find a top executive with a “proven track record” who was also willing and able to speak to the media. Tuesday’s press conference to introduce Ujiri will only be Dumont’s second time speaking to the media since he became an owner of the team, Stein notes, and former head of basketball operations Nico Harrison was just as reticent to address the public.
Ujiri, on the other hand, is well known for holding press conferences as well as making bold public proclamations, Stein observes.
According to Stein, the search process was “essentially conducted” by Dumont, CEO Rick Welts and president of business of operations Ethan Casson. Sources tell The Stein Line that Dumont spoke to ex-Warriors executive Bob Myers multiple times, but Myers decided to stay in his position with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the group that owns the Sixers.
Stein reiterates that Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly was another target, but the Mavs were not granted permission to talk to him. Ujiri, meanwhile, was awaiting another opportunity after being dismissed by Toronto last June.
Here are a few more Mavs-related rumors from Stein:
- Ujiri will be given the freedom to fill out the front office as he sees fit, according to Stein, who reports that the 55-year-old is expected to hire a general manager to work alongside him in the coming days.
- On a related note, Stein hears Ujiri is expected to meet with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, who acted as co-interim GMs in the wake of Harrison’s dismissal, to determine whether either executive will remain in Dallas.
- While Ujiri will likely be asked on Tuesday about the status of head coach Jason Kidd, Stein has heard for months that Dumont desired to hire an executive who wanted to keep Kidd in place. Sources tell Stein that Kidd still has four years left on his contract after signing offseason extensions in both 2024 and 2025.
- The staff of The Dallas Morning News lists 10 things to know about Ujiri, who played professionally in Europe before he became an NBA executive.
Northwest Notes: Connelly, Wolves, Lloyd, Gonzalez, Jazz
The Timberwolves have registered interest in extending the contract of president basketball operations Tim Connelly, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).
Scotto reported last week that Minnesota was hoping to sign Connelly to a new deal. His current contract will expire in 2027.
Connelly, a longtime Nuggets executive, was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022. Minnesota has made the Western Conference finals each of the past two years and advanced to the second round of this year’s playoffs last week when it eliminated Denver for the second time in three seasons.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch congratulated Bryson Graham — his former colleague in New Orleans — for landing the Bulls‘ head of operations job, but admits he was pulling for Wolves GM Matt Lloyd, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Congrats to Bryson Graham,” Finch said. “I worked with Bryson in New Orleans for a number of years. He’s a class act and an outstanding talent evaluator. I’m sure he will be a great pick for the Bulls. … Gunning for Matt. He’s one of the best executives I’ve ever worked with anywhere I’ve been. He’s an absolute rock star when it comes to that, from running processes to connecting with people in the building, to positivity to leadership, to being able to manage up and down. It’s only a matter of time until he gets his chance, I’m convinced of it. These are really hard jobs to get, highly coveted. Lots of things go into them. We’re fortunate to have him here and he’s been a huge part of our success.”
- The Jazz plan to add Ben Gonzalez to their front office, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68 (Twitter link). Gonzalez is currently the director of basketball operations at the University of Georgia.
- Regardless of where their pick lands in next week’s draft lottery, Jazz fans have something to look forward to next season, since the team will no longer be prioritizing draft positioning, writes Sarah Todd of The Deseret News.
Stein’s Latest: Mosley, Nuggets, Bulls, Mavs, Kerr
The job security of Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley has been one of the bigger points of speculation around the league for some time, and it remains widely expected that he will take the blame for Orlando’s first-round exit, writes Marc Stein in a recent edition of The Stein Line (subscriber link).
As far who would take over should Mosley be let go, Stein notes that there have been rumors since before he left the Bulls about Billy Donovan taking the job, which he was first offered in 2007. Another name of interest for Orlando is Michigan head coach Dusty May, though Stein notes that the expectation is May will remain with Michigan after winning the national championship this year.
As for Mosley, Stein cites a previous report from Jake Fischer about the Pelicans‘ ongoing interest in bringing the Magic head coach into the fold if he becomes a free agent.
We have more league-wide news from Stein:
- The Nuggets will have to look in the mirror and figure out what comes next after losing in Round 1. Stein confirms reports that head coach David Adelman‘s job is expected to be safe, but adds that Denver is rumored to be open to any trade possibilities that would improve the athleticism and defense around star Nikola Jokic.
- The Bulls are close to reaching their decision regarding their head of basketball operations search, and while many people believe the Timberwolves’ Matt Lloyd is the frontrunner, Dennis Lindsey, Bryson Graham, and Dave Lewin remain in the running for the position.
- As the Mavericks look to find their long-term head of operations, owner Patrick Dumont is hoping to hire the splashiest name possible in an attempt to put Nico Harrison‘s tenure firmly in the rear view mirror, Stein reports. It appears unlikely that the Mavs will get to interview their top choice, the Wolves’ Tim Connelly, or their second choice, Bob Myers. Still, Stein muses about how unavailable Connelly truly is and whether his future contract extension talks will come into play. Former owner Mark Cuban has endorsed Detroit’s Lindsey in the past, but the team has yet to seek permission to interview him. Finally, Stein notes that the Mavs could choose one of their co-interim GMs, Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, for the position. Dumont has stated previously that he intends to fill the position by mid-May.
- A decision is imminent for Steve Kerr and his future with the Warriors. Stein reports that ESPN has been recruiting Golden State’s coach to return to his role as a broadcaster, but the team is expected to meet with him as soon as Monday and has been operating as if he’s likely to return.
Mavs Unlikely To Get Permission To Speak To Tim Connelly
Even before the Timberwolves pulled off an unlikely Game 6 win over Denver on Thursday without Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu available, the Mavericks had grown pessimistic about the likelihood that they’ll be granted permission to speak to Tim Connelly, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Twitter link).
Connelly, the Timberwolves‘ president of basketball operations, was among the “big names” cited a month ago as potential targets for the Mavs as they seek a new top basketball executive. Several of the candidates identified in that report were viewed as essentially pipe dreams, but there was said to be a sense among some rival teams that Connelly might be open to a new job.
However, multiple reports since then have suggested that Minnesota is motivated to lock up Connelly to a longer-term extension, and Stein suggests Dallas is unlikely to get the opportunity to meet with him.
While it may have been trending in that direction even before Thursday night, the Wolves’ upset victory to advance to the second round likely only increased team ownership’s desire to keep Connelly in his current position.
Rudy Gobert, whom Connelly memorably gave up five first-round picks to acquire during his first year on the job, played a crucial role in slowing down three-time MVP Nikola Jokic during that first-round series, while 2024 first-rounder Terrence Shannon Jr. came up big when thrust into a starring role in Game 6, scoring 24 points and grabbing six rebounds.
Additionally, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle, and Naz Reid, each of whom has received a long-term commitment from Connelly’s front office, stepped up to help Minnesota advance to round two, and Dosunmu – a 2026 deadline acquisition – had a massive series before missing Game 6 due to a calf injury.
Connelly signed a five-year contract when he was hired by the Timberwolves in 2022, so he has one year left on that deal.
The Mavs, meanwhile, parted ways with their president of basketball operations, Nico Harrison, during the 2025/26 season and had Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi finish the year as co-interim GMs. Both Finley and Riccardi are among the candidates for the permanent job, even as Dallas considers more experienced candidates.
Scotto’s Latest: Giannis, Magic, Mavs, Connelly, Bulls, Nori, More
The Magic expressed interest in Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo ahead of this year’s trade deadline, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, confirming remarks that Kirk Goldsberry made on The Bill Simmons podcast last month. Goldsberry stated during that podcast appearance that Orlando had been “very active” in pursuing Antetokounmpo.
While Scotto doesn’t specify just how serious the Magic’s interest was, he notes that Antetokounmpo was originally drafted in Milwaukee by then-GM John Hammond, who currently serves as a senior advisor in Orlando. Hammond and Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman have long prioritized length and size when considering roster moves, Scotto adds.
It remains to be seen whether the Magic will revisit a potential Antetokounmpo trade this summer — the team’s approach to the offseason figures to hinge in part on how their playoff run ends. For what it’s worth, Scotto hears from league sources that Antetokounmpo and new Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins are believed to have a good relationship.
Here are a few more highlights from Scotto’s latest round-up of NBA intel:
- Scotto is the latest to confirm there’s a strong belief in league circles that the Mavericks are eyeing Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as a top candidate to run their front office. The Wolves have registered interest in locking up Connelly to a contract extension that keeps him in Minnesota for the foreseeable future, Scotto reports.
- If the Bulls end up hiring Timberwolves general manager Matt Lloyd to run their front office, watch out for Wolves assistant Micah Nori to emerge as a strong candidate for Chicago’s head coaching job, Scotto advises. Lloyd is rumored to be a finalist and a frontrunner to become the Bulls’ new head of basketball operations.
- The Wizards intend to promote their G League head coach, Cody Toppert, to an assistant role on Brian Keefe‘s staff for the 2026/27 season, according to Scotto. Toppert has some prior experience as an NBA assistant coach in Phoenix under Igor Kokoskov.
- As the Lakers make front office changes under new team owner Mark Walter, they’re looking to add at least one assistant general manager and possibly another high-ranking executive, per Scotto. Those execs would presumably work under president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, who is expected to remain in his current role.
- The Pacers intend to promote director of college scouting Mike Born to help fill the void in the front office created by the departure of senior vice president of player personnel Ryan Carr earlier this year, league sources tell Scotto.
Amick’s Latest: Lottery Reform, Mosley, Lakers, Wolves, More
A “heavy frontrunner” has emerged as the NBA considers its options to reduce tanking, league and team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.
In March, the league presented three separate lottery reform concepts to its governors to address the problem. It appears option No. 1, which expands the draft lottery to 18 teams from the current 14, has received the best reception, according to Amick. The proposal would give each of the bottom 10 teams an 8% chance of landing the top overall pick, and the remaining 20% would be distributed among the other eight. It’s a significant change from the current system, which provides the three worst teams with a 14% chance at the No. 1 selection, with the odds steadily declining for the rest.
Several general managers that Amick contacted point out that option No. 1 could result in new problems that should be addressed before a vote is taken. There could be an outcry if one of the four lottery teams that reaches the playoffs winds up winning the top overall selection. Although the odds of that happening are slim, the huge jumps taken by Atlanta, Dallas and other teams in the last two lotteries show that it’s possible.
The next step in the process will take place on Tuesday with a league-wide meeting of GMs on Zoom. Draft reform won’t be the only topic of discussion, but it will be the main issue, Amick adds. He hears that commissioner Adam Silver is taking a “collaborative approach,” welcoming extensive feedback, with the league’s competition committee taking the lead and representatives from the players union also involved.
A vote on reform is expected at the next Board of Governors meeting in May, and at least 23 of the 30 teams must approve the proposal for it to be adopted. Silver stated in February that he hopes to have a new system in place by next season.
There’s more from Amick:
- Orlando’s playoff success may be complicating a few expected coaching moves. Amick notes that rumors about Jamahl Mosley being on the hot seat have been circulating since October, and they intensified when the Magic lost their final regular season game and their first play-in contest. Former Bulls head coach Billy Donovan and Bucks associate head coach Darvin Ham were seen as potential replacements, and Mosley was viewed as a possible candidate for the Pelicans. However, Orlando holds a 2-1 lead in its series with top-seeded Detroit, and Amick believes Mosley is worthy of a “second look” from Magic officials if he can get the team to at least the second round.
- Amick addresses a few other coaching situations, including Tiago Splitter‘s unique position with the Trail Blazers and Mike Brown‘s Finals-or-bust mandate with the Knicks. Amick also believes pressure has increased on the Sixers’ Nick Nurse and the Cavaliers’ Kenny Atkinson following Sunday’s playoff losses.
- The Lakers and Timberwolves have experienced terrible injury luck, with L.A. losing Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves before its series started and Minnesota seeing Donte DiVincenzo and Anthony Edwards both suffer significant injuries in Saturday’s game. Amick praises the foresight of the Lakers’ Rob Pelinka and the Wolves’ Tim Connelly for adding depth that gives their teams a chance to survive those losses. Pelinka signed Marcus Smart last summer following a buyout with Washington, then acquired Luke Kennard from Atlanta in February. Connelly made possibly the best deal at this year’s deadline, getting Ayo Dosunmu from Chicago in exchange for two little-used players and a package of second-round picks.
Mavs Notes: Kidd, Front Office, Bilsborough, Flagg
The situation that Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd finds himself in isn’t all that different from Billy Donovan‘s in Chicago. It was a disappointing season in Dallas and the team is embarking on a search for a permanent head of basketball operations, but all indications are that the team wants Kidd to remain part of the organization.
“He knows the game,” governor Patrick Dumont said when asked by Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) to evaluate Kidd’s performance in 2025/26. “And he’s had great coaching success, and this was a tough year. I look back to last season, the injury that Kyrie (Irving) had, some of the other injuries we had, and how hard the guys played for Coach. This year, same thing. We played a lot of close games that could have gone either way. The team continued to battle through adversity and through a lot of injuries. And look, that’s really a testament to Coach Kidd and the rest of the coaching staff.”
As Townsend observes, there have been rumblings over the course of the season about Kidd possibility transitioning into a front office role in Dallas, but those whispers have mostly died down as of late. A report two weeks ago suggested that Kidd is more likely to remain in his current position than to become a basketball operations executive. Either scenario seems more likely than the Hall-of-Famer being let go, given how highly regarded he is by Mavs ownership.
“He’s an important voice in our organization,” Dumont said. “I really value his insights and his knowledge of the game. I know the rest of our team does as well. He’s just been unbelievably committed to our franchise, both as a player and as a coach over these many years.”
We have more on the Mavericks:
- In a story examining potential candidates for the Mavericks’ top front office job, Christian Clark of The Athletic shares some interesting tidbits, citing multiple league sources who told him that Mark Cuban‘s support for Dennis Lindsey could negatively impact Lindsey’s chances of being rehired by Dallas. Clark also confirms that the Mavs have legitimate interest in Tim Connelly, though he may not be inclined to leave his job with the Timberwolves, and reports that Dumont believes the current front office – led by co-interim GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi – did well in February’s Anthony Davis trade.
- The Mavs are making changes in their health and performance department for a fourth straight year, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says the team has dismissed director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough. MacMahon reported last spring that there was tension between Bilsborough and former athletic performance director Keith Belton, who was fired by the team during the 2025 offseason. The expectation, per MacMahon, is that the new head of basketball operations will hire Bilsborough’s replacement.
- After repeatedly making Cooper Flagg‘s case for Rookie of the Year in recent weeks, Kidd suggested at the end of the season that the 19-year-old forward wasn’t just the NBA’s best rookie in 2025/26 — he proved he’s already among the league’s very best players. “We’ve seen a historic rookie season,” Kidd said, according to Clark. “We have the best fans. But we also have one of the best players — present at the age of 19, and the future.”
- Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com looks at why there’s confidence among Mavs players and coaches that the team’s 26-56 season was a blip on the radar and that better things are ahead for the franchise, starting in 2026/27.