Tensions were high on Wednesday night in Dallas as former franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić returned to the city that drafted him. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd attempted to diffuse the situation during his pregame press conference by reminding reporters that trades are a common occurrence in the NBA. He even drew parallels between the Dončić trade and the infamous deal that sent Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees over a century ago, a trade that ultimately plagued the Red Sox with 86 years of misery while the Yankees celebrated multiple championships.
Instead of using the Curse of the Bambino as motivation for his Mavericks, Kidd surprisingly referred to the comparisons as “kinda cool.” This comment did not go unnoticed, as FS1’s First Things First host Kevin Wildes seized the moment to mock Kidd and offer a quick history lesson. “Agree to disagree! It’s not cool at all,” Wildes scoffed. “Quick baseball lesson, I don’t know if you’re a sports historian, Jason, that was largely considered the worst trade in sports history.”
FS1’s Kevin Wildes ridicules Jason Kidd for calling it “kinda cool” that the Luka Dončić trade is being compared to the Curse of the Bambino 😅 pic.twitter.com/UiTVcvwvJY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 10, 2025
Discussing this disastrous Mavs season is no easy task, and it’s important to note that the trade wasn’t Kidd’s decision. However, his nonchalant demeanor towards the media didn’t help his case, as he dug himself deeper while trying to navigate the emotional landscape. It was an easy target for someone like Wildes to criticize him.
“You claim to be on a two-year window. Buddy, it’s an 86-year window,” Wildes continued. “The Mavs won in 2011. You’re due for a championship in 2097. I’m not even joking; I’m not sure if human beings will be walking on Earth. So, no, the Luka trade being compared to Babe Ruth is not pretty cool. It’s not pretty cool at all. We’ll be living in vats of green Jell-o as robots take over the Earth before you win another championship, while the Lakers win dozens.”
Right now, the Mavs likely wish they could avoid home games against the Lakers until 2097, as each return of Dončić prompts a reminder of that unfortunate trade. Hopefully, next time Kidd handles the discussion differently, or Wildes will undoubtedly be there to poke fun again.
