While most of the league is preparing to finish out the 2019-20 season at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, those on the outside looking in have already started shifting gears toward a full-fledged offseason.
When the Los Angeles Lakers opted to usher in some significant changes to their coaching staff with the arrival of Frank Vogel, they also generated headlines with their decision to make Jason Kidd the highest-paid assistant in the league.
It led to plenty of speculation regarding the team’s potential contingency plan in the event that Vogel could not bring the star-studded roster together. Fortunately, the Lakers have managed to live up to the hype as the budding No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Aside from dispelling any uncertainty with the staff, their success may have also made Kidd one of the most sought-after coaches in the NBA. According to ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz, Kidd is among the top candidates for a head coach position and he is hopeful to receive an opportunity:
After two rocky stints in Brooklyn and Milwaukee, Jason Kidd has received favorable reviews as an assistant under Frank Vogel for the Lakers. He’s eager for another chance as a head coach and will likely have opportunities to make a pitch to owners and execs in the near future.
It has since been reported the New York Knicks requested — and received — permission from the Lakers to interview Kidd.
Kidd’s first couple of stints as a head coach with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks may have ended in unceremonious fashion, however, his contributions to this Lakers team has added some serious pedigree to his resume.
A championship with L.A. in this unprecedented season would certainly put him near the top of the list of the current candidates.
There are a several, high-profile vacancies throughout the NBA that teams are anxious to fill in this extended offseason. Furthermore, rumors have started to swirl about the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers potentially looking to make a change this summer.
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