Jason Kidd and the Brooklyn Nets have reportedly agreed that the newly retired point guard will become the team’s head coach. A contract is said to be in place for three years.
Kidd, 40, has no formal coaching experience so the hire is somewhat unconventional. Kidd retired earlier this month after 19 years in the NBA even though he had two years left on his playing contract with the New York Knicks. Evidently spending more time with his family as a retired basketball player was not necessarily part of the plans after all.
Apparently Kidd convinced Nets management that he was the man for the job. “Kidd convinced Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and his advisers that he is ready to jump directly into the lead seat on an NBA bench despite the fact that he has no prior coaching experience.” Kidd’s staff will include former Nets and Pistons head Lawrence Frank which should provide him with needed bench experience. He is almost certainly going to hire other experienced coaches to assist him.
Considered a lock for the Hall of Fame, Kidd, retired last week after 19 NBA seasons even though he had two years left on contract with the New York Knicks. A co-Rookie of the Year and 10 time All Star, JKidd is second all-time in assists and steals behind John Stockton, won an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks, and earned two Olympic gold medals with Team USA. He played with the Mavs (twice), Phoenix Suns, the-then New Jersey Nets, and the Knicks.
While the captain of the Nets, he led to the team to two NBA Finals appearances and is said to still have strong ties with that organization as well as with star guard Deron Williams . “Perhaps the most interesting wrinkle of this entire affair, though, is what impact Kidd’s hiring will have on the current face of the franchise: veteran point guard Deron Williams … Williams and Kidd already have a relationship from their playing days. How they work together will likely determine the immediate on-court fortunes of the franchise.”
The Nets also strongly considered Indiana Pacers assistant Brian Shaw for the coaching position which became vacant when the team decided against retaining interim head coach P. J. Carlesimo after the Chicago Bulls eliminated the Nets in the first round of the playoffs this year. Carlesimo replaced Avery Johnson who was fired early in the regular season. Carlesimo has been showing up on ESPN lately as an NBA analyst.
Do you think the Brooklyn Nets Jason Kidd hire is a good decision by management?