In the moments after reportedly agreeing to a deal with Frank Vogel to become the team’s new head coach, the Lakers also reportedly agreed to a deal to make Jason Kidd one of the top assistants on his staff, first reported by Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times.
Kidd has no experience as an assistant coach in the NBA but has served as a head coach for two different franchises. Across five seasons, Kidd amassed a 183-190 coaching record with three playoff appearances.
More pertinent to the Lakers situation, though, is that Kidd did become a player’s coach and bonded with his team, even leading to Giannis Antetokounmpo trying to pull out all the stops to save his job once his time came to an end in Milwaukee.
Kidd also drew the admiration of Kyrie Irving during his young career. From a NetsDaily piece back in 2013.
“He’s a tremendous leader. Obviously, Brooklyn sees something in him especially from a leadership standpoint,” Irving told Fred Kerber Sunday. “He’s coming straight off the court, but I feel the last few years he was definitely a coach out there on the court. The transition, I think, will be easy for him. I’m looking forward to see how he does.”
And the most prominent free agent on the market this summer, Kevin Durant, congratulated Kidd on Twitter after his hiring in Brooklyn many moons again.
Unfortunately, in hiring Kidd, the Lakers ignored multiple enormous red flags off the court, which Anthony Irwin of Silver Screen & Roll did a tremendous job of dialoguing. Kidd will hopefully have to answer to some of his miscues in the past once he arrives in L.A.
But he does bring a head coaching pedigree to the Lakers staff. Whether that matters in the circus environment the Lakers have remains to be seen.
