Although it may have taken longer than expected, the Los Angeles Lakers were finally able to shore up their coaching staff for the 2019-20 NBA season.
The Lakers had been linked to several names at the onset of their coaching search. When it became apparent that neither of their initial choices would come to fruition, the front office managed to bring in head coach Frank Vogel with the understanding that lead assistant coach Kidd would be a part of his staff.
There has been plenty of speculation regarding the team’s desire to pair the two together in Los Angeles. It appears to have led to a lucrative opportunity for Kidd.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers intend to make Kidd the highest-paid assistant coach in the league:
Jason Kidd’s contract with the Lakers made him the highest paid assistant coach in the NBA, sources with knowledge of the deal said.
The fact that the Lakers would bring Kidd in on a rich contract is hardly surprising to some. It is not often that teams are so adamant about signing a particular assistant coach to pair their head coach with, but the front office did just that when the time came to hire Vogel.
While Kidd may be an assistant, he will be asked to take on an integral role within the organization. Part of the reasoning for bringing him in is to help with the development of Lonzo Ball, according to Tania Ganguli of Los Angeles Times:
The Lakers are hoping Kidd, who was a 10-time All Star point guard as a player, can help their third-year point guard Lonzo Ball. Kidd and Ball don’t have much of a pre-existing relationship, but last season Lakers center Tyson Chandler, a former teammate of Kidd, asked the Hall of Famer to speak with Ball and the pair had a phone conversation.
It is no secret that the Lakers have made quite the investment in their young core in recent seasons with Ball being among the more intriguing players. Unfortunately, he has struggled to find his footing thus far while dealing with injuries through his first two seasons in the NBA.
The team’s decision to have Vogel accept his potential successor as part of his coaching staff has certainly raised plenty of questions. The fact that they rewarded Kidd with the most lucrative assistant coaching contract in the NBA provides only further proof of the kind of impact they expect him to have in the near future.
