Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Monday, October 5, 2026, that ESPN is in advanced talks to add Jason Kidd to its NBA studio coverage, but no official deal has been announced.
- Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks mutually parted ways in May while he still had four years and more than $40 million left on his contract, a separation the team described as a clean slate for new leadership.
- Reporting from ESPN’s Tim MacMahon says Kidd sought the Mavericks’ president of basketball operations role after the firing of Nico Harrison and was told he would not be considered for that position.
- Kidd is a Basketball Hall of Famer with a long playing and coaching résumé, and his 2025–26 Mavericks team went 26–56, which contributed to his departure and a 388–395 coaching record in Dallas.
- If finalized, the hire would shift Kidd’s public role from team coaching to national media analysis and could close this chapter of his NBA career while ESPN and the Mavericks prepare separate next steps; an official confirmation and details of his studio role are the next items to watch.