The Los Angeles Lakers will conduct a high-profile coaching search over the summer to replace the outgoing Darvin Ham. Among the desired replacements, Jason Kidd has ranked highly. However, the Mavericks head coach is expected to re-sign with Dallas, according to the respected Marc Stein.
“Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who like [Tyronn] Lue has only one season left on his current contract, would also be an obvious target for the Lakers — if Kidd were to become available. That, however, is not expected to happen. League sources say Kidd is also the likely recipient of a contract extension in the near future.”
Stein also said that the Lakers are not under the delusion that either coach Kidd or Tyronn Lue will become available over the summer.
“I’m told that the Lakers, for their part, don’t anticipate Kidd becoming a coaching free agent any more than they expect to have a shot at Lue.”
Both Kidd and Lue are entering the final years of their respective coaching contracts and eyeing a massive payday next season. The coaching salary market has been reset over the last season with the contracts received by Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr, Erik Spoelstra, and Monty Williams.
Coach Kidd is in his third season with the Mavericks, going 140-106 over the regular season. In his two playoff appearances, he’s made it to the second round at minimum and could take the Mavs to another Conference Finals this season if they can overcome the OKC Thunder.
Last season’s failure to make the playoffs for Dallas wasn’t on Kidd as the team had an extremely flawed roster that was fully revamped, with Kidd orchestrating the best defense in the NBA over the last 25 regular season games after getting the personnel he needed with P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford.
The Lakers Need To Look Elsewhere
Jason Kidd is a former Laker, part of the coaching staff when the team won the 2020 Championship as Frank Vogel’s lead assistant. Dallas snatched him up before the 2021-22 season to be their head coach, with him returning to the city as a franchise legend and former champion.
Kidd would have been a great choice given his familiarity with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, and because star players around the NBA have immense respect for Kidd. How he’s dealt with Kyrie Irving over the last season is proof enough, as Kidd’s coaching has kept Irving engaged and locked in throughout the season, something former MVP Steve Nash couldn’t do.
Keeping superstars bought in isn’t easy and is usually achieved by respected former players. That’s why the Lakers went after Darvin Ham in the first place and are currently pursuing Kidd and Lue. Their other options could include re-hiring Phil Handy as head coach after Handy was also fired as part of Ham’s coaching staff.
The best option available seems to be former champion Mike Budenholzer, but even that might be a bad fit given that Ham is a direct result of Coach Bud’s coaching tree, with Ham serving as Bud’s assistant for their 2021 title triumph.
Outside of these names, applicants such as JJ Redick, Charles Lee, and Micah Nori are also being evaluated for the job.
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