In a wild turn of events, Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd is now considered the favorite to land the New York Knicks head coaching job.
“The Knicks coaching search has turned messy with Jason Kidd emerging as a frontrunner after contract negotiations with Tom Thibodeau stalled, a plugged-in NBA source told the Daily News,” Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News reported.
Kidd, 47, joined the Lakers’ bench prior to the start of the 2019-20 season.
The former All-Star point guard has valuable experience from prior head coaching stints with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.
Over the course of his coaching career, Kidd accumulated a 183-190 regular season record and 9-15 playoff record. He led the Nets to the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinals.
Yet, Kidd is best known for his career as a player. The 19-year veteran averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game during his playing career. He won a championship with the Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
Now, he’s one of the most coveted candidates for the Knicks’ top job. After all, Kidd has phenomenal relationships with two of the NBA’s best players, MVP contenders LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Kidd and the Lakers are focused on winning a championship this season. The Lakers’ 2019-20 campaign officially resumes on July 30.
