As the Los Angeles Lakers begin their coaching search after parting ways with Darvin Ham, they have already been linked to some names as potential replacements.
One of them was Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who of course has ties to the organization after being an assistant and a close relationship with LeBron James.
Kidd currently has the Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs though and is in a good situation with two stars in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. With that being the case, the Mavericks organization announced on Monday morning that they have signed Kidd to an extension.
“I have known Jason for a long time, and I cannot think of a better, more qualified candidate to lead this team going forward,” stated Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison. “As a former NBA Champion Hall of Fame player, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role which cannot be duplicated. He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league, and I look forward to working alongside him as we continue to build upon the culture and foundation of success he’s helped foster throughout his tenure as head coach.”
Given that Kidd was already under contract, it seemed unlikely all along that he would be the Lakers’ next coach despite the reports that started to surface.
Regardless, the Lakers now need to look elsewhere and some of the other candidates that have started to emerge, including Tyronn Lue, Mike Budenholzer, JJ Redick and Kenny Atkinson. The Lakers will likely interview a number of candidates to figure out who is the right man for the job.
Similar to Kidd though, Lue may not be a legit option as he is under contract with the L.A. Clippers and recently stated his desire to remain with the organization despite their first round playoff exit.
Anthony Davis’ opinion to be valued in Lakers’ head coaching search
With LeBron James’ future with the Lakers currently up in the air, they will unsurprisingly consult him to see who he would want as the next head coach.
His opinion isn’t the only one that will be valued though as it was recently reported that they will speak with Anthony Davis as well, which makes sense considering he is the star in the organization that is signed long term and still in his prime.
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