With the NBA head coaching carousel spinning, the Dallas Mavericks have reportedly landed on Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd to replace former head coach Rick Carlisle.
Kidd has been linked to almost every available head coaching vacancy and after surprisingly declining a chance to be in the running for the Portland Trail Blazers spot, he finds himself in an arguably even better position. The Mavericks have a bonafide superstar in Luke Doncic and a roster that complements his skillset, something Kidd had to have kept in mind when considering his options.
Although the Lakers organization is surely happy for Kidd, the players are likely going to miss having him on the sidelines. LeBron James, in particular, seemed upset about the news but wished Kidd all the best on his personal Twitter account:
Damn I hate to lose JKidd man but damn I’m happy for him at the same time! Good luck Kidd!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 25, 2021
The two have a close relationship and James has cited in the past that Kidd is one of the few players in NBA history who is able to see the game the same way he does. They were also teammates on the 2008 USA Men’s Team that brought home the gold, another experience that only those two and a few others share.
However, Dallas’ upside and Kidd’s personal relationship with the franchise make too much sense on paper. Kidd was the starting point guard on the 2011 Mavericks team that won the NBA Championship and now gets the chance to bring them back into title contention.
Kidd’s deal is reportedly for four years, which means he will have time to work with the front office and roster on molding the team in his vision. It remains to be seen how different Dallas will look with Kidd at the helm, but it will be exciting to see what he can do with this new opportunity.
Kidd had plethora of head coaching options
The Mavericks emerged as the frontrunner to sign Kidd after Carlisle shockingly stepped down, but he was also considered the favorite to land the New Orleans Pelicans job. Kidd also had solid betting odds when it came to the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic vacancies, but ultimately lands in probably his best destination.
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