Is Jason Kidd the right head coach for the Dallas Mavericks?
According to Tim McMahon and Adrian Wojnarowski, the Dallas Mavericks are close to signing Jason Kidd as their next head coach. The Mavericks parted ways with Rick Carlisle following a disappointing playoff campaign and the 2011 NBA Championship winner is set to take over at the Indiana Pacers.
However, there are doubts about Kidd's ability to improve the Dallas Mavericks, as his coaching career so far hasn't inspired a lot of confidence.
Are the Dallas Mavericks making a sound decision by handing the keys to their team to Jason Kidd?
The Dallas Mavericks have one of the best players in the league in Luke Doncic. Still just 22 years of age, Doncic has already proven that he can be a No.1 option on a contender, and is set for a glorious NBA career barring an unfortunate injury or drastic drop in production.
Naturally, the Dallas Mavericks front office wants to surround Doncic with the best peripheral talent possible. That also includes a coaching staff that can get the best out of him. If the recent reports are to be believed, the Mavericks think that Jason Kidd can be the head coach that can execute the aforementioned job best and take the franchise to the pinnacle.
However, the last time Kidd was put in a similar position, the results weren't exactly encouraging. Jason Kidd was given the head coach role by the Milwaukee Bucks at the start of the 2014-15 season, sending two second-round draft picks in 2015 and 2019 to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for his services.
Kidd was entrusted with a talented team that had a young Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster. The Bucks expected the famous point guard to help with Antetokounmpo's development, along with leading the team to successful playoff campaigns.
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Jason Kidd indeed played a major role in elevating Giannis Antetokounmpo's game. His decision to put the ball in the 'Greek Freak's' hands paid dividends for both the player and the franchise, as he prospered into one of the best players in the league. Antetokoumpo himself credited the former New Jersey Nets point guard for placing trust in him despite his young age.
But while Giannis blossomed into a superstar, the Milwaukee Bucks constantly underachieved under Jason Kidd's stewardship. He made the playoffs in his first year with the Bucks but ended up crashing out in the first round. In the second season, the team didn't even make it to the postseason, registering a dismal record of 33-49.
The following year, the Bucks were back in the playoffs but exited in the first round itself. Kidd was fired during the 2017-18 season after continuously underperforming with a stacked roster.
The Dallas Mavericks are in a similar spot, as they have a young superstar and a bunch of talented role players. Their motivation behind cutting ties with Rick Carlisle seems to have stemmed from the fact that they haven't won a single playoff series in over a decade with the coach. But there is no assurance over the fact that Jason Kidd is the right man to coach Doncic and co.
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