OT Jason Kidd the New Nets Coach

Submitted by aiglick on

Jason Kidd just finished his NBA career and now the Nets just hired him to be their coach. My first reaction was "how bizarre" but the reasons for doing it did make some sense after listening to the analysts explain said reasons. Kidd is a hall of fame point guard who has a great relationship with one of their star players, Deron Williams. He has "star power" and maybe with some experienced assistant coaches the organization and Kidd can make it work.

This is somewhat relevant to this board in particular since many people have commented about recently graduated players someday coming back to coach Michigan. Mike Hart and Jordan Kovacs come to mind as former M players that could come back as coaches.

Anyway, just wondering what people think about this and if this makes the idea of recently graduated M players becoming coaches sooner more palatable.

TTUwolverine

June 13th, 2013 at 1:05 AM ^

It's all kinds of risky, but I imagine it speaks to the respect he has among his peers.  Still, hiring a guy as a head coach literally months from his last game is quite a leap no matter how you look at it. 

denardogasm

June 13th, 2013 at 1:06 AM ^

I wasn't aware that the idea of recent players coaching wasn't palatable to anyone.  Roy Manning was only playing for us 7 years ago and everyone loves him.  I'd love Hart to take over for Jackson when he retires, and I think the staff might take him over a guy like Wheatley simply because he brings the youth factor that Manning also has.

Cheesecake Wizard

June 13th, 2013 at 1:16 AM ^

Roy Manning is a position coach.  He knows a lot specifically about his position, and can take time to learn more about coaching in general from other coaches.  

Kidd is the Head Coach now.  He is running everything without any palpable coaching experience in the NBA.  That's a pretty risky move.  Manning as a LB coach is not.

justingoblue

June 13th, 2013 at 1:18 AM ^

but wouldn't it be more like Lidstrom taking over Calgary for the 2013 season? Manning is a low-level guy on the staff who still has three years experience as a coach before being a position coach at M. Hart is going on two years experience as a coach and is still a position coach at a MAC program.

Come On Down

June 13th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^

I don't think that bringing in former players to be coaches just because they were great players is a great idea. I loved Mike Heart as a player but has he done anything at Eastern to show that he knows how to be a good coach? If yes then I'd love to have him, if no then I'd love to have somebody else. I think that Isah Thomas has shown us that being a great player doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a great coach.

I suppose time will tell with Jason Kidd but personally I would have hired somebody with more experience.

M-Wolverine

June 13th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^

You kind of gloss over 7 years of post playing experience.  He's done a lot of coaching and learned a lot over that time, and even with 7 years he's still the lowest man on the totem pole.  I don't think anyone would react to someone hiring Kidd as an assistant on a staff.

Well...Well...Well

June 13th, 2013 at 1:22 AM ^

Several former players have had success going straight to a head coaching job in the NBA, I've heard Mark Jackson and Doc Rivers mentioned recently in news stories about this. The key difference is that Kidd is just weeks away from retiring as a player whereas the others worked in other roles, specifically broadcasting, before making the jump.

He certainly could have continued playing for another season or two, so the thought of him becoming a player-coach is somewhat intriguing. Very unlikely, but it doesn't seem too farfetch'd to me. 

 

KAYSHIN15

June 13th, 2013 at 3:55 AM ^

There's no coincidence with the limited number of coaches to win Championships within the last 20 years. Only 4 coaches have won their first championship in that timeframe. The 5th one being Larry Brown who won one in Kansas (before winning with the Stones in 04) but cant stay in one place long enough to win more than 1...

ijohnb

June 13th, 2013 at 8:20 AM ^

it makes me wonder if the majority of coaches in the NBA "coaching cycle" have just lost touch with today's game so much that it is wiser to hire a coach who has recently experience what it is like to play in today's NBA.  The game is not recognizable as to the game played 20 years ago.  Perhaps we will start to see a lot more of this. 

Bergs

June 13th, 2013 at 1:23 AM ^

He was a great point guard which counts for something, but he has no coaching experience. Deron Williams and Jason Kidd have almost identical career stats (Kidd was a better rebounder but a less proficient scorer) and Williams has been in the league almost 10 years so it's not as though Kidd is going to help Williams elevate his game.

ijohnb

June 13th, 2013 at 8:22 AM ^

is a hard line coach, he doesn't take any shit from anybody and I have a hard time believing the players would adapt to his coaching style.  He does like to run and gun which would have fit the Net's roster.  There are bound to be other opening this off-season so maybe he just didn't think the Nets were the move.

Coldwater

June 13th, 2013 at 8:13 AM ^

I shocked to see him named Head Coach. Yes he's a hall of fame player, but he has zero coaching experience at any level. He can just walk right in and do the job?
If I was a life long coach working my way up the ladder, I'd be pissed to see a guy get the NBA head coach job with no coaching credentials.

Leonhall

June 13th, 2013 at 8:56 AM ^

That it isn't the X's and O's, it's the jimmie's and Joe's. in a superstars league, there aren't many coaches if any at all who can win games by themselves, this might be a new trend, who knows, maybe this will attract superstars....

Michigan4Life

June 13th, 2013 at 8:59 AM ^

likes to hire former NBA PGs to be the head coach like Rivers, Jackson, Kidd, etc. But there is no big guys at the head coaching job.  Patrick Ewing has been the assistant coach for years, but no head coaching job.  Do they hate big guys as the head coach?

WolverineInTexas

June 13th, 2013 at 10:49 AM ^

I wonder how much respect he will get from his players. I'm sure he was respected as a player, he earned it, he was a proven veteran. But as a head coach he will need the respect of his players. I just wonder if any of them look at him as just one of the guys instead of an authority figure.