With so many head coaching vacancies in the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers assistant head coach Jason Kidd seems like he will finally get his shot to once again lead a team.
Kidd has spent the past two seasons on the Lakers sideline next to Frank Vogel and it appears he has rehabbed his image enough to where he is an attractive choice to teams. The former point guard has been linked to basically every opening from the Portland Trail Blazers to the New Orleans Pelicans to the Orlando Magic, but nothing of substance has materialized quite yet.
The Dallas Mavericks are another team to watch for as Kidd played and won a championship there under Rick Carlisle, who recently resigned and was hired to be the head coach of the Indiana Pacers.
While it remains to be seen if Kidd will land the job, it appears Carlisle is in favor of it as he endorsed his former player to coach a core surrounded by Luka Doncic, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN:
Rick Carlisle on his Mavs: "It's hard to put an exact finger on it. It’s just a feeling that I had that it would be mutually beneficial. My hope is that Jason Kidd will be the next coach of the Mavs because he and Luka have so many things in common as players."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 24, 2021
Carlisle (cont.): "I just think that it would be a great situation for Luka, and I think it would be an amazing situation for Jason. I’m the only person on the planet that’s coached both of those guys and that knows about all of their special qualities as basketball players."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 24, 2021
Carlisle: "To me, that just would be a great marriage, but that’s just an opinion."
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) June 24, 2021
This isn’t the first public endorsement Kidd has received this offseason as Damian Lillard of the Trail Blazers did the same, although the Lakers assistant took his name out of the running for that job.
Perhaps the reason for that was Kidd had talked to Carlisle and knew the Mavericks job would be opening, which may be more desirable given his history with the organization and desire to work with Doncic.
It is more likely than not at this point that Kidd departs the Lakers, forcing head coach Frank Vogel to find a replacement. Still, L.A. has been supportive of players and coaches getting their opportunities so hopefully Kidd gets his.
Vogel part of Lakers future
Even though Vogel is entering the final year of his contract with the Lakers, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said that the head coach is viewed as a part of the franchise’s future.
“Listen, Frank’s done an outstanding job as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers,” Pelinka said. “To come into an organization and his first year to help us achieve the ultimate goal is really incredible and something that we are so grateful and appreciative of.
“And this year I think did everything to battle through some of the things that our team face that we couldn’t control and did the best he could in times of adversity to keep everybody together. Frank is a guy that we, Kurt and I and the front office, really enjoy working with that does a great job with our players and we see him as a strong part of our future, for sure.”
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