Kidd's Next Chapter, And Dallas's Race To Clear Three Names…

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk · Wednesday, October 7

Hoopsrumors reported Tuesday that Jason Kidd will join ESPN as an analyst, news landing as Dallas wraps camp workouts in Macao, China. Morez Johnson, Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are each targeting an Oct. 9 return, the same day Dallas opens its exhibition slate against Houston.

Mavericks Nightly artwork — Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Kidd Heads To The Booth

Hoopsrumors reported Tuesday that Jason Kidd will join ESPN as an analyst. The report landed while Dallas wrapped camp workouts in Macao, China, a stop on the team's preseason trip overseas.

Three Names, Same Target Date

Morez Johnson, Dereck Lively and Santi Aldama are each listed without a firm clearance, and all three carry the same Oct. 9 target date. That happens to be the date Dallas opens its exhibition slate against Houston, a game carried by NBA TV, with a rematch two days later, then New Orleans on Oct. 14 and Atlanta on Oct. 16 before the regular season opens Oct. 21 at Houston.

Cisse And Poulakidas Already Showed

Over the final five games of last season, Moussa Cisse's minutes jumped 12.0 to 26.0 per game, nearly double his workload across the full year. John Poulakidas had his own jump late last season, up 12 per game over his last three with a teammate sidelined. Both re-enter camp with recent proof as Dallas sorts bench minutes behind its three unresolved names.

Will Dereck Lively be ready for Dallas's exhibition opener against Houston?

He is targeting an Oct. 9 return, the same date as that game, though Dallas hasn't issued a clearance update since reporting in September that he hadn't yet been cleared for camp.

Who picks up extra minutes with Johnson, Lively and Aldama unresolved?

Moussa Cisse and John Poulakidas both closed last season with jumps in playing time, Cisse to 26.0 per game and Poulakidas up 12 over his final three outings.

By the Mavericks Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.