The Brooklyn Nets Will Win With Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd w/ Deron Williams

The Brooklyn Nets rocked NBA headlines last week with the hiring of Jason Kidd as their new head coach. Kidd was nine days into his retirement as a player from the NBA when the Nets announced him as their new coach. It’s everything a team on the rise, such as the Nets, would want out of a big announcement. It was sexy, clever, attention-grabbing, and outside-the-box. The Nets wanted Phil Jackson, however in my opinion, they will win with Kidd.

The Nets are not hiring Kidd because of his coaching experience because well … he doesn’t have any. That makes the question of what makes Kidd qualified for the job a reasonable and valid one. It’s not Kidd’s blank coaching resume that got him this opportunity, it’s that with this team and at this time he’s the most logical choice for this job.

Kidd is arguably the greatest player in Nets history, leading them at point guard to consecutive NBA Finals in 2002 and 03′ when the team played in New Jersey. He knows what it takes to become a championship team and how they should be built. His name rings bells throughout the league from teammates, opponents, and coaches all praising his contribution to the game. Kidd brings credibility with him whenever he walks through an NBA door. The Nets are owned by a Russian billionaire who’s determined to make good on his investment and makes sure it’s his team and not the crosstown New York Knicks that dominates any headlines. The Nets franchise player Deron Williams has a very strong relationship with Kidd and also happens to be their point guard. It’s no question to me that Kidd walked into the right door at the right time and for the right owner.

Time will tell if Kidd can take the Nets to a championship. This isn’t a case of someone taking over a team that’s starting from scratch or looking to rebuild, the Nets are a playoff team with high expectations. This is a team that should have beaten Chicago in the first round of the playoffs this year. Kidd is being brought in to be the piece that connects all the dots and I believe he’s the right man for the job. The Nets will make sure Kidd is surrounded by the best staff of assistant coaches they can assemble to offset his lack of coaching experience. They could have went another direction with Brian Shaw, Lionel Hollins, and George Karl all available at the time of Kidd’s hiring. Any one of those moves would have been logical with the exception of one thing … their not Kidd.

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• Jason Kidd Pursuing Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Job (jvilleonline.com)

Jason Kidd Pursuing Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Job

Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd was known for his spectacular court vision throughout his 19 seasons in the NBA. Kidd is now retired from the game, however he’s set his sights on a very interesting post-game career … coaching. Kidd is pursuing the Brooklyn Nets head coaching vacancy, according to Yahoo! Sports Adrian Wojnarowski.

Kidd spent nearly seven full seasons with the Nets in New Jersey, turning them from laughingstock into a team that went to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. Kidd just announced his retirement a week ago, ending a career during which he made 10 All-Star appearances and led the league in assists 5 times. According to ESPN.com and sources close to the process, Kidd was scheduled to meet with Nets general manager Billy King to just discuss potential employment with the Nets. However, Kidd will be looking to convince King that he’s the man for the head coaching job. The Nets have reportedly added Kidd to their list of coaching candidates.

Kidd doesn’t have any coaching experience, so to hire him most likely means that the Nets would have to assemble a talented and experienced staff of assistant coaches to help him. It would be a unique situation that in my opinion could work. Kidd’s basketball IQ is well-respected around the league. He is good friends with Nets point guard Deron Williams and he’s still well-respected within the Nets organization for his contributions there as a player. This is definitely something worth keeping an eye on to see how it unfolds.

JR Smith Wins NBA Sixth Man Award

JR Smith (NBAE / Getty Images)

Congratulations to JR Smith of the New York Knicks for winning the NBA’s Sixth Man of The Year Award. Smith averaged 18.1 points in 80 games, all off the bench. He was one of the Knicks most important players this season and helped spark the team towards winning their first division title since 1994.

 It wasn’t a role Smith wanted to accept before the season started, however he brought into head coach Mike Woodson‘s gameplan and philosphy while showing what seems to be a newfound maturity and discipline to his game on the court. The results are in the numbers.

 Now it remains to be seen what happens with Smith and the Knicks in the upcoming offseason. He’s clearly played his way into strong consideration for a new contract and will most likely decline the 2nd year option in his 2-year contract he signed in the previous offseason so that he can test free agency.