Jason Kidd Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nets Hire Jason Kidd

June 13th, 2013 at 7:55am CST by Michael Pina

Jason Kidd will serve as head coach of the Nets next season, according to Yahoo! NBA columnist Adrian Wojnarowski. The story was first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer's John Mitchell and the hiring was confirmed by the Nets in a Wednesday night press release. Kidd will be introduced to the media in a Thursday press conference.

After much speculation about who would take over for interim lead man P.J. Carlesimo, culminating with a climactic five-hour interview on Wednesday with Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw, it appears the job will go to Kidd, a future Hall of Fame point guard who spent last season playing for the Knicks.

Kidd's contract will be guaranteed for three years and might include an option on the fourth year. He's currently targeting Lawrence Frank and Tim Grgurich as his top assistants. Kidd has no coaching experience, but the Nets believe the blueprint set by Warriors head coach Mark Jackson, also a successful player who took that job with no experience and led his team to the second round of the playoffs this season, bodes well.

Kidd, a ten-time All-Star, spent six seasons with the Nets and most notably led them to the NBA Finals twice in a row after a lengthy playoff drought. While the Nets were runners-up to the Lakers and Spurs, Kidd finally won a title with the Mavericks in 2011.

It will be interesting to watch how Kidd does for a number of reasons, but the most compelling aspect will be to see how he deals with player discord, given his reputation as a coach killer. Of course, star point guard Deron Williams has been given the same tag by many observers, though he has denied having a hand in Jerry Sloan's retirement in Utah and expressed surprise and disappointment after Avery Johnson was fired in Brooklyn.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Nets To Hire Jason Kidd?

June 12th, 2013 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

6:56pm: After Brian Shaw conducted a five hour interview with the Nets to become their head coach, Kidd is still the front runner for the position, and the Nets are "on the verge" of hiring him, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein.

4:53pm: Within the last few hours, Kidd has continued to "aggressively" pursue potential assistant coaches for his staff, tweets Wojnarowski.

4:34pm: Addressing the Nets' head coaching hire, Howard Beck of the New York Times tweets "no decision today." It's unclear if Beck means that the Nets have yet to make a decision or that no decision will be announced today, but it appears Shaw still has a shot at the job.

4:10pm: The Nets met with Brian Shaw for over four hours today, and are expected to announce their decision between Kidd and Shaw shortly, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

The Inquirer report linked below has yet to be corroborated by any national writers or Nets beat reporters, and the timing appears unusual — such a long interview with Shaw would seem unnecessary if an agreement with Kidd was already in place. Still, Mitchell's report also hasn't been shot down yet, so for now it looks as if the Nets remain on track to hire Kidd. Either way, we should have a definitive answer very soon.

1:35pm: The Nets have reached agreement with Jason Kidd on a deal to become the club's next head coach, a source tells John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The former guard will get a three year deal from the Nets to man the bench just weeks after announcing that his playing days are through.

Fred Kerber of the New York Post reported earlier today that the Nets had an offer in place for the future Hall of Famer and it seems that the two sides didn't need much time to shake hands on it. It has been said for a long time that the Nets were eager to make a big splash with their head coaching position and this certainly accomplishes that goal.

Kidd takes over for interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo, who was fired less than 24 hours after the Nets were eliminated in the first round by the Bulls. The longtime coach was rather successful with the defensively-challenged Nets as they tallied a 35-19 regular season record under his watch. However, it wasn't good enough when coupled with their seven game ouster in the first round.

It has been reported that Kidd will be required to assemble an experienced staff to help him overcome the learning curve of being an NBA head coach. Strangely enough, former Nets coach Lawrence Frank has reportedly been tapped to be the Kidd's lead assistant to help him in his first season on the bench.

The ten-time All-Star spent six seasons with the Nets and most notably led them to the NBA Finals twice in a row after a lengthy playoff drought. While the Nets were runners-up to the Lakers and Spurs, Kidd finally won a title with the Mavericks in 2011.

It will be interesting to watch how Kidd does for a number of reasons but the most compelling part of it will be to see how he deals with player discord given his reputation as a coach killer. Of course, star point guard Deron Williams has been given the same tag by many observers, though he has denied having a hand in Jerry Sloan's retirement in Utah and expressed surprise and disappointment after Avery Johnson was fired in Brooklyn.

An announcement is expected to be made later this week and no later than the weekend, according to Mitchell's source.

Nets Have Offer In Place For Jason Kidd

June 12th, 2013 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

The Nets will meet with Brian Shaw today to discuss the team's head coaching vacancy, but all signs at the moment are pointing to Jason Kidd becoming Brooklyn's new head coach. Fred Kerber of the New York Post reports that the Nets have the parameters of a three-year deal in place to offer Kidd. While the offer hasn't been formally extended, "the Russians are on board," a source tells Kerber, referring to the club's owners.

Kidd and Shaw appear to be the only two candidates still standing for the Nets' opening, despite earlier reports of interest in Lionel Hollins and several others. Just a week after announcing his retirement as a player, Kidd met with the Nets on Monday and impressed upon management that he "really wants this," according to Kerber.

When I asked yesterday whether the Nets should hire Kidd, more than half of you voted in favor of Brooklyn opting for the longtime point guard over a more experienced coaching candidate.

Nets Deciding Between Jason Kidd, Brian Shaw

June 11th, 2013 at 8:29pm CST by Luke Adams

8:29pm: The Nets have narrowed their search to just Kidd and Shaw, reports Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press.

7:49pm: TNT's David Aldridge bats down rumors that Kidd and the Nets have already begun contract negotiations, and reiterates that the team will interview Shaw on Wednesday (Twitter link).

5:10pm: The Nets were "very impressed" with Kidd after yesterday's interview, sources tell Howard Beck of The New York Times, who adds that there's no indication the team will turn to Lionel Hollins, whom they've yet to contact (Twitter links).

2:45pm: Despite Kidd's apparent lead, Shaw still has a shot at the job and will interview as planned tomorrow, reports Sam Amick of USA Today (via Twitter).

2:04pm: Jason Kidd has emerged as the strong frontrunner for the Nets' open head coaching job, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. For now, the club still has a Wednesday interview scheduled with Brian Shaw, who had previously been considered the top candidate for the position, but it's unclear if that meeting will happen, says Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, talks for a potential contract with Kidd are already underway, and the longtime All-Star point guard could be hired by the end of the week. Kidd represents the sort of "fresh face" the franchise is seeking, and would give the Nets a hire with some starpower as well, as Wojnarowski points out.

If Kidd does land the job, it would be a pretty incredible turnaround, considering that a week and a half ago it still seemed as if he was set to play for the Knicks in 2013/14. Kidd announced his retirement as a player last Monday, and almost immediately rumors begin to swirl connecting him to Brooklyn's coaching opening.

Yesterday, we heard that Kidd was being seriously considered by the Nets, while this morning, over half of you voted in favor of Brooklyn hiring Kidd over a more experienced candidate like Shaw or Lionel Hollins. For his part, Shaw is interviewing with the Clippers today and considers that job his priority, according to Wojnarowski.

Poll: Should The Nets Hire Jason Kidd?

June 11th, 2013 at 10:23am CST by Luke Adams

It's only been eight days since Jason Kidd announced his retirement as an NBA player, but already he has emerged as one of the leading candidates for perhaps the most high-profile head coaching job still available. According to multiple reports, there's mutual interest between Kidd and the Nets, with the two sides meeting yesterday to discuss the team's open coaching position.

The Nets are also said to be seriously considering highly-coveted assistant Brian Shaw, and have more established head coaches like Lionel Hollins on their radar as well, so Kidd is hardly the most qualified candidate on their list. Still, players and coaches alike rave about the longtime point guard's basketball IQ, and according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Kidd convinced the Nets that he was serious about committing the necessary time and energy to the job.

What do you think? Would hiring Kidd as their head coach be the best move for the Nets, or should the team opt for someone with more coaching experience, such as Shaw or Hollins?

Nets Seriously Considering Jason Kidd As Coach

June 10th, 2013 at 5:36pm CST by Zachary Links

5:36pm: Kidd's candidacy for the Nets' opening is gaining momentum, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, who says Kidd convinced Brooklyn of his seriousness in committing the time and energy to a head coaching job. The Nets, who are intrigued by the possibility of making a "star hire," could make a decision within the next several days, says Wojnarowski. Brian Shaw is the team's other top candidate, with an interview lined up for Wednesday.

3:00pm: The Nets are taking Kidd seriously as a head coaching candidate, but he must surround himself with lots of experience on the bench, sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). A key element of Kidd's pitch is former Nets head coach Lawrence Frank joining him on the bench (link).

2:30pm: The Nets met with Jason Kidd earlier today to discuss his interest in the club's vacant head coaching position, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. We learned yesterday that the recently-retired guard has interest in taking the reins in Brooklyn and the Nets are at least considering the possibility.

Kidd's candidacy is being discussed in the highest levels of the organization, which presumably means that it involves the group of Russian executives that report directly to owner Mikhail Prokhorov. Sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports yesterday that Kidd is already working to identify a group of assistant coaches that can help offset his lack of experience.

Jason Kidd Pursuing Nets Coaching Job

June 9th, 2013 at 5:31pm CST by Zachary Links

Less than two weeks removed from his retirement, Jason Kidd is seeking to become the next head coach of the Nets, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. The guard's candidacy is already being discussed within the highest levels of the organization.

Kidd has been talking with associates about the possibility of making the immediate leap from playing to a head coaching job and has been working to identify a staff of assistant coaches who could help him overcome the significant learning curve, sources said. Right now, Brian Shaw is viewed as a leading candidate for the Nets' job, but they'll have to fight it out with the Clippers and Nuggets in order to secure him. Kidd would be an extremely bold choice for the Nets but it would certainly satisfy the organization's desire for a big splash this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Kidd, Knicks, Larkin, C’s, Sixers

June 4th, 2013 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

Already today, we've passed along word that J.R. Smith will decline his player option, but is likely to re-sign with the Knicks. There are plenty of other news items and rumors floating around the web this morning, relating to the Knicks and their Atlantic rivals, so let's round up the latest out of the division:

After announcing his retirement yesterday, Jason Kidd told ESPN Radio (link via Marc Berman of the New York Post) that he thinks the Knicks have a "solid foundation," though the team may have to make a couple upgrades this summer.
According to both Berman and Nate Taylor of the New York Times, Kidd will forgo the final two years and $6.18MM remaining on his contract. Assuming that's true, it's a nice break for the Knicks, considering teams often agree to buyouts with retiring players. It likely won't give New York any additional cap flexibility, since the team is still in the tax, but at the very least it will reduce that tax bill.
Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald explores whether Shane Larkin may be a fit for the Celtics at No. 16 in this month's draft.
Although Michael Malone was on the Sixers' wish list back when Tony DiLeo, rather than Sam Hinkie, was running the team's coaching search, John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer points out the Kings' hiring of Malone further diminishes Philadelphia's pool of head coach targets.
Over at Philly.com, Michael Levien of SBNation.com is skeptical of a rumor linking the Sixers to free-agent-to-be Josh Smith, writing that he's "very confident" Philadelphia won't be the team that gives the forward a big-money, long-term contract.

Knicks Notes: Kidd, Selby, Draft

June 3rd, 2013 at 7:04pm CST by Zachary Links

Knicks fans got a bit of surprising news earlier today when Jason Kidd announced that he is retiring. The future Hall of Famer still had two seasons and $6.18MM remaining on his three-year contract with the Knicks and despite his shooting woes to close out the Knicks' season, he had a strong 2012/13 campaign on the whole. Here's more on Kidd and other notes out of MSG..

The NBA will miss Kidd’s presence on the court, but don’t be surprised if he surfaces in the NBA next season as a coach, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. I could certainly see Kidd taking a run at coaching, but it may not be right away.
Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter) says to keep an eye on Josh Selby in free agency. The guard's priority is figuring out his summer league and then signing with a team, though its not known if the Knicks have interest yet. For what it's worth, Selby and Carmelo Anthony are friends from their days in Baltimore and are still close. Anthony was hoping the Knicks would draft Selby in 2011, but he went to the Grizzlies in the second round instead.
Point guard prospect Nate Wolters out of South Dakota State will be working out for the Knicks, Zwerling tweets. Wolters is a projected late first/early second round pick.
Nets GM Billy King issued a statement on Kidd's retirement. "[Kidd] was the captain of the Nets during their most successful period in the NBA, and is considered the greatest player in the Nets' NBA history. On behalf of the entire Brooklyn Nets organization, we congratulate him on his Hall of Fame career," King said, according to the AP. With all due respect for Kidd, Drazen Petrovic is considered by some to be the greatest Nets player in their NBA history.

Coaching Rumors: Karl, JVG, Clips, Hollins, Nets

June 3rd, 2013 at 2:52pm CST by Luke Adams

After we heard yesterday that there are some question marks surrounding George Karl's future in Denver, TNT's David Aldridge echoes that report, writing that the head coach is "antsy" about his current situation. According to Aldridge, the Nuggets don't plan to exercise the 2014/15 option on Karl's contract, which means he'll be on an expiring contract in '13/14.

"They want to play it out and see where they're at," one league source tells Aldridge. "And they're not going to budge on that."

As Aldridge notes, the Nuggets don't appear to actively be seeking a replacement for Karl, but if he wants to leave for a more lucrative opportunity when his current deal runs out, the team may not be inclined to stop him.

Here are a few more of the latest coaching-related rumblings from around the league:

Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers talked multiple times about the team's head coaching job, but discussions are now dormant, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Van Gundy was reportedly at or near the top of L.A.'s wish list, but it doesn't sound as if he's a serious candidate at this point.
Two of the Nets' top coaching targets may become available for interviews within the next few days, as Tim Bontemps of the New York Post writes, pointing to Lionel Hollins and Brian Shaw. In fact, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (via Twitter), the Nets formally requested permission today to interview Hollins.
The newly-retired Jason Kidd has interest in coaching, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Vitaly Potapenko, who was a Cavaliers lottery pick way back in 1996, will return to Cleveland as an assistant coach to Mike Brown, tweets Wojnarowski.