The last game the Dallas Mavericks won, they had Kyrie Irving serving as the heart of their offense. Sadly, when facing the Sacramento Kings, the Mavericks’ season would take a turn for the worse. A gruesome sequence saw KAI tear his ACL. Just like that, the Mavs were without both Irving and Anthony Davis, leaving no clear scoring option on their table.

As a head coach, it’s been a stifling season for Jason Kidd. The team’s action maker, Luka Doncic was traded, and he has lost both his stars to injuries. Ideally, it would leave the coach with a decision to make. Which player steps up? Is it Klay Thompson, a “future Hall of Famer” in the eyes of Kidd? The legendary point guard does trust the former Warriors guard, but he thinks the team needs to make an effort to make plays for him.

Aside from that’s there really no hierarchy. Tonight, 6’1″ guard Brandon Williams stepped up off the bench to score a team-high 31 points. Naji Marshall had a monstrous double-double. But every team has some nights where unexpected players rise to the occasion. So how is it different for the Mavs? The way Kidd sees it, this could be a regularity for the Dallas Mavericks. Every player stands on equal grounds.

“There’s no number one option. It’s team. Everyone touches it and whoever is open shoot it. We don’t have a number one or number two. We’re not built like that right now. We’re built on team. Someone has to sacrifice, drive in. If you get a layup take it, if not pitch it out. If you got a wide-open three, take it,” the Mavericks head coach admitted after the loss to the Grizzlies.

For a team that has lost both of its offensive motors to injuries, this strategy may serve well in building up confidence. Max Christie could never get eleven shots when playing for the Lakers. Similarly, players such as Williams get the chance to earn the Mavs’ trust in these dark times.

But will it help them?

The Mavericks’ deep troubles

Jason Kidd’s approach—prioritizing the best shot over any one player—has its perks. If executed well, the Mavericks could roll into next season with a deep, well-prepared roster. For the younger guys, this is a golden opportunity to develop their game and build strong team chemistry.

But the bigger picture isn’t as promising. According to Shams Charania, Kyrie Irving’s injury could have a ripple effect—possibly leading to Anthony Davis shutting down for the rest of the season as well. The Brow might use this time to fully recover and improve his conditioning, especially with Dallas looking more and more like a long shot for even a Play-In spot.

The development could also mean Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively opt for a similar decision. Kidd truly believes having a depleted roster with no pecking order “can mean we can be dangerous because no one can load up on one person and we got to take advantage of that,”. In such a system, a sophomore like Olivier-Maxence Prosper could have immensely benefitted.

Unfortunately, right as the chance presented itself, the 22-year-old was also bitten by the injury bug. According to Charania, the former 24th pick suffered a serious wrist injury and will require a season-ending surgery immediately. So, as far as creating a stable rotation, Jason Kidd is devoid of having the players he would usually promote at this time.

This is only a part of their troubles. Given Irving’s injury late in the season, it’s unlikely for him to join the Mavericks in the first half of the next season. This leaves Davis as the only primary offense weapon and a significantly decreased chance at posting a playoff-worthy record for the second year running.

Would AD want to hang around for the entire season with no title aspirations? Because of how quickly the foundation has fallen apart, it’s tough to envision what the future of the Mavs looks like. It could be in severe peril or it could be a ravishing recovery. Whichever way it treads, it seems the extremes are hard to avoid.