Jason Kidd is done with the scrutiny around Cooper Flagg’s role on the team. Is the rookie a forward? Is he a point guard? That confusing narrative never left the scene since his debut. That’s simply because, in Kyrie Irving’s absence, the Dallas Mavericks HC wanted to try out everything with Flagg. Play in various positions and throw challenges at the 19-year-old. However, things took an odd turn on Saturday as the Mavericks lost 107-111 to the Houston Rockets.

Coach Kidd, known for his composed outlook over even the most grueling matters, lost his calm. Speaking to the media after the game, he lashed out. That explosion had a mixture of harsh words for the game officials for a no-call decision on Flagg. At the same time, Kidd’s use of profanity took center stage.

So now, the NBA has handed down its decision. The NBA fined Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd $35,000 for “public criticism of the officiating and using profane language during a media interview.”

Let’s see what happened. With 29 seconds remaining, Cooper Flagg had the moment in his hands. He drove left and attacked the rim, while Houston Rockets guard Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant closed in to cut him off. The lane was crowded, and the contact was obvious, so the finish became difficult.

As a result, the ball spun out instead of dropping. Even so, the officials let the play continue, and the absence of a call only amplified the tension of the sequence.

The rookie delivered a strong 34-point performance, but the night ended in disappointment instead of celebration. And this infuriated Jason Kidd. He didn’t shy away from calling names in the post-game presser. “I saw a foul,” Kidd said. “Sean Wright, Jason Goldenberg, and Simone Jelks were awful tonight. That was unacceptable. It’s a foul.”

Kidd admitted there was no guarantee Flagg would have made both free throws. Still, he stressed that the officials failed to do their job long before that became relevant. Now came the scathing opinion on the media’s scrutiny of Cooper Flagg’s role. Coach Kidd had clarified before the season that he wants his rookie star to be uncomfortable. Because he wants him to try different roles. And all of this for his development.

In simple terms, Jason Kidd is not going to entertain any odd narrative anymore. “I don’t give a f— about the criticism,” Kidd said. “That’s your opinion. You guys write that bulls—. I’ve played this game at a very high level, and I know what the f— I’m doing.”

Initially, Kidd opened the games with Cooper playing as a point guard despite being a natural forward. The team faced a 2-5 record in such a setup, and soon the head coach began using D’Angelo Russell. However, in the last games, Jason Kidd has reintroduced the previous lineup, thus playing Flagg as a PG.

Well, Coach Kidd wasn’t alone in calling out the game officials over the Cooper Flagg incident. He found support from the Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban, who didn’t mince words in criticizing the refs.

Mark Cuban backs Jason Kidd’s frustration

The heat from Saturday’s loss continued until Monday. Mark Cuban took to the X handle to slam the league officials. In his opinion, officiating has repeatedly failed to protect Cooper Flagg. “POV – You turn in Coop’s drives to @NBAOfficial and he still gets treated like a pinata and gets no calls,” Cuban tweeted.

Cuban made it clear this pattern has stretched beyond one night, explaining that Dallas Mavericks officials have already sent clips of Cooper Flagg attacking the rim to the league with no shift in how those sequences are called. As a result, his message carried more weight.

In his view, Flagg takes consistent physical punishment game after game without receiving the same whistle protection that veterans often get. Therefore, the pinata comparison resonated. It painted a picture of repeated contact with little relief.

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So now Jason Kidd has a fine to deal with, and the Dallas Mavericks have the rest of the season to compete in. They are 11th in the Western Conference with a 19-30 record. And to be honest, postseason dreams look far-fetched this time. However, Cooper Flagg shines amidst all the trouble, and Coach Kidd is seemingly protecting his star boy.