Milwaukee Bucks land Jason Kidd as Head Coach in exchange for two second round picks

Former Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Jason Kidd is now the Head Coach of the Milwaukee Bucks as the Nets receive two second round picks in exchange, one in 2015 and the other in 2019. The most surprising news of the off-season so far, the move comes after the tension between the Nets management and Kidd builded over the past week over the matter of a promotion.

Kidd was keen on holding the posts of General Manager and Head Coach of the Nets at the same time, only to be denied such a position by the owners. Following that, Kidd met with the Bucks ownership after they were granted permission to do so. Kidd talked to them about being intruiged by the challenge of coaching a young team that has just drafted the No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker in the most recent draft.

The Bucks owners Wes Edens and Marc Lasry were reportedly impressed with Kidd’s work in his first year of coaching with the Nets, especially his management of egos which eventually helped the Nets reach the second round of the Playoffs.

After the meeting, talks between owners began in order to determine how to exchange Kidd for draft picks, and the trade was eventually finalized. Kidd replaces former Bucks coach Larry Drew who went 15-67 with the team last season and still has two season remaining on his current contract with the franchise.

Meanwhile, the empty post of Head Coach for the Nets already seems to have front runners with Lionel Hollins and Ettore Messina emerging as the likeliest so far. Hollins is the fomer Head Coach of Memphis Grizzlies that made it to the Western Conference Finals in 2013 while the latter is the former Head Coach of the club CSKA Moscow.