By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Jason Kidd will take over the team he began his playing career with and won the NBA championship in 2011 after agreeing to terms with the team, per ESPN. An earlier report by ESPN set the Mavericks finalizing a deal with Hall of Famer Kidd to appoint him as the team’s new head coach and the one who will be replacing Rick Carlisle.
Kidd has had a preliminary discussion with J.J. Barea about including him in his coaching staff, adds the latest update regarding the Mavs. Also, Nico Harrison will become the GM. The Nike executive comes in after the departure of Donnie Nelson.
Carlisle had actually endorsed Kidd as a replacement in a statement to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “I hope Jason Kidd will be Mavericks’ next coach because he and Luka (Doncic) have a lot in common as players. I think it’s a great situation for Luka and I think it’s a great situation for Jason. I’m the only one who coaches both guys and knows all their special qualities. As a basketball player. For me. It’s going to be a great marriage, but that’s just an opinion.”
Kidd, who won the NBA title of 2020 as an assistant with the Los Angeles Lakers, previously coached another European NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo from 2014 to 2018 when he was the boss of the Milwaukee Bucks. He was fired in January 2018.