Jason Kidd Pushes Back on Mark Cuban Over Luka Trade

Merlin sees Jason Kidd politely pushing back on Mark Cuban’s claim that Kidd knew about the Luka Dončić trade before it happened. Kidd told reporters he was "here to tell you the truth," said he was "a little" surprised, and learned of the deal only as it was about to go down. That public mismatch keeps old wounds open as Dallas prepares to host the Lakers. Merlin senses Kidd trying to turn the page while holding on to gratitude, noting Cuban "helped" his family and they "won a championship together." Kidd asked, "When are we going to move on?" The coach is juggling team focus, fan fever, and the spotlight on Dončić’s hamstring. How Dallas responds in the next few games will show whether talk becomes distraction or motivation.