Jason Kidd has been granted permission by the Brooklyn Nets to talk with the Milwaukee Bucks, and the whole situation feels like Kidd is trying to force his way out of Brooklyn.
The New York Post reported Saturday night that Kidd recently approached Nets management about giving him more power within the organization. According to The Post, Kidd “approached ownership with a series of demands, including the role of overseeing the Nets’ basketball operations department in addition to his head-coaching responsibilities.”
Only veteran coaches like Gregg Popovich, Stan Van Gundy, Flip Saunders and Doc Rivers hold both positions and, until recently, Pop was the only one of the group to have both roles.
The Nets did not grant Kidd’s wishes, feeling he was not ready to have so much responsibility. That cleared the way for Kidd to begin speaking with the Bucks about their head coaching job, which probably was Kidd’s aim all along. It seems like Kidd’s plan was: ask the Nets for so much that they won’t be able to come through, and use that denial as an excuse to talk with Milwaukee.
So what’s the appeal with the Bucks? Well, they have lower expectations, significantly less pressure, they just drafted Jabari Parker, and Kidd can get a big pay raise from what he was making with Brooklyn. There’s a lot of perks with that job.
Also keep in mind that Bucks co-owner Mark Lasry is Kidd’s former financial adviser and a good friend. I have very little doubt that they discussed a potential deal and orchestrated this whole thing.
