A year ago at this time the Nets made a precarious move when they inked their former superstar Jason Kidd as head coach, just weeks after the former point guard retired from playing. The move was received with a mixed reaction, but at the end of the day Kidd had to prove that he was worthy of being an NBA head coach with no previous coaching experience.
It looked like the experiment would become a disaster, by the end of December the Nets were 10-21 and heading south fast. Suddenly Kidd changed his ways, learned from his mistakes and the Nets put together a very solid second half to get themselves not only over .500 but into the postseason, where they won a round against the Toronto Raptors.
It looked like Kidd had made the transition with success. He went from vilified buffoon to a Coach of the Year candidate. Even Phil Jackson took notice when he tabbed Derek Fisher to coach the Knicks just days after his own retirement a few weeks ago.
Now it appears that the Nets and Kidd are heading for divorce court.
According to multiple sources, Kidd tried to coax Nets ownership into giving him more personnel duties, and the front office rebuffed. Now the Milwaukee Bucks are rumored to be potential suitors for Kidd.
The Bucks have a strong interest in making Kidd their President of Basketball Operations, and have already contacted the Nets about sending him over. Reports are that the Nets and Bucks are currently working on a compensation package for Kidd, which means that this thing could get done within hours, if not days.
It is unclear whether those duties would include coaching the Bucks.
If Kidd bolts the Nets to run the Bucks from a cozy front office seat it is both A) surprising because of the timing, and B) ultimately not surprising because Kidd was eventually going to want out from the drudgery of coaching on a daily basis.
First the timing couldn't be worse for the Nets. Free agency is about to begin, and the team wanted to re-sign veterans Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston. If Kidd leaves that could change a lot of thinking by interested free agents.
However, lets be real, Kidd is like most ex-star players. He got used to being a super star player playing in a glamorous sport and a glamorous position. He didn't have to worry about long hours, managing practices, managing player schedules, hotel and flight accommodations, game tape analysis, coaching meetings, player-to-coach meetings, teaching, all of the things that go into coaching at a high level.
Being a head coach in the NBA is a grueling, time consuming process, and it was eventually going to eat at Kidd. To sit here and expect Kidd to be a head coach for 10+ years would have been silly. But only 1 year, and he is finished? That is insane.
According to the same reports, there are even rumors that Kidd was never really on par with GM Billy King, who "suggested a coaching change in December as the Nets were in the midst of a 10-21 start to the season." Ownership rebuffed King; Kidd got the chance to finish the year. Now Kidd wants out.
If Kidd goes, don't expect him to coach. Expect him to sit up in the owners box watching the Bucks play for a few years before he gives up on that toy for another one and another and maybe another, because, ultimately, that is what stars who have trouble replacing their glory days try to do.
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