With the Los Angeles Lakers firing Darvin Ham last week after just two seasons at the helm, one of the NBA’s top coaching jobs has once again become open.
One of the names that the Lakers were reportedly targeting, however, has already been taken off the board.
Friday night on SportsCenter, just hours after Ham’s firing, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin identified Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as a candidate for the job.
Dave McMenamin on the Lakers coaching search.
"I expect the pendulum to swing back towards an experienced candidate this summer."
Despite that, he adds that JJ Redick is among "the guys they're thinking about and pondering," along with Tyronn Lue and Jason Kidd. pic.twitter.com/v7SD92h4Yb
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 4, 2024
On Monday, however, those rumors were put to bed when the Mavericks announced a multi-year extension for the third-year head coach.
That's our coach 🫡
We have signed @RealJasonKidd to a multi-year contract extension.#MFFL pic.twitter.com/MnsS4I8p0h
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) May 6, 2024
The Mavericks likely felt they had to act fast and end the rumors before they became a distraction to the team, which went 50-32 in the regular season and will open the Western Conference Semifinals Tuesday night against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After one ill-fated season as coach of the Brooklyn Nets, Kidd spent three and a half seasons as head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks before being fired and serving as a Lakers assistant from 2019-21 before being hired in Dallas, the team that drafted the ten-time NBA All-Star and the team with which he won the 2011 NBA Championship. His 140 regular season wins rank fifth all-time in Mavericks coaching history.
Social media had a lot to say about the big announcement and what the Lakers may do next.
Kyrie x Luka saving this man.
His in game adjustments are atrocious still. 😅 https://t.co/6ddz3piLV3
— Shaun 🔔 (@CoachShaunBell) May 6, 2024
Glad to see J-Kidd get rewarded since by the organization for turning around the season after the trade deadline. https://t.co/NgXbXHSOcb
— Bryan Greer (@Crunch_Tyme) May 6, 2024
Well should have waited until the end of playoffs imo https://t.co/hSdRhDSgjU
— Caleb (@5calebnorris) May 6, 2024
So Ty Lue and Jason Kidd will stay with same team next season. I really want Mike Budz to be Lakers coach. Hopefully they can lure Giannis there
— Retired Numbers Sports Talk (@RetireNumbers) May 6, 2024
