SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
When I covered the New Jersey Nets, I wasn’t certain about the straight trade of Stephon Marbury for Jason Kidd. They were both classy point guards, Marbury out of Lincoln High in Brooklyn, and Kidd from the West Coast.
It didn’t take long to realize that the 6-foot-4 Kidd, an All-America at University of California, was the better player, a better leader, bundle of versatility, and that Garden State fans would enjoy knowing him and watching him play. He was modest, made the plays and was happy to entertain the fans at the Brendan Byrne Arena, the first of changing names for the venue in East Rutherford.
He was a pure point guard and also a strong rebounder for his size. He ran the offense like no one else in the NBA and played the entire court to swipe away balls and passes. In the 2002 and 2003 seasons, he took the Nets to their first NBA finals, losing first in four games to the Los Angeles Lakers, then to the San Antonio Spurs in six.
The Nets have won two titles, both in the red, white and blue American Basketball Association, but in those days Jason Frederick Kidd was still in elementary school in Oakland, Calif.
Now he’s been hired as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, the franchise that drafted him 27 years ago as a first-round, second pick. He was later dealt to the Nets in exchange for Mabury, but it was with the Mavs in 2011 that he won its only NBA championship as the starting point guard for the franchise owned by Marc Cuban, and he’s a Neismith Hall of Famer.
Now he’s back in Dallas in his third time as a head coach, his first two being with the Nets and then the Milwaukee Bucks. He’s now 48, grew up as a gym rat, loves the game, and is overjoyed to be back in Dallas after being an assistant coach with the Lakers for the last two years.
“I loved being with the Mavericks,” Kidd said, “and thought it was a good organization with great fans and a caring owner. So now I’m looking ahead to coaching this young team, a team with excellent outside shooters and a young rising star in Luka Doncic.”
Well, Kidd just hit the nail on the head. Doncic could be a nightmare. He’s a great player with a poor attitude. He’s 22 and a barker. He barks at the coaches, his teammates, the officials, and has pieced together too many technical fouls. He has also been ejected.
But outgoing head Dallas coach Rick Carlisie, who resigned after 13 years to sign up for the same role with the Detroit Pistons, recommended Kidd to become the new Mavs’ coach and added that Jason would be magical for Doncic that he’d add to the 6-7 Doncic’s point guard skills and maybe calm him down, keep him from barking.
Really, well it won’t be easy. Donvic is a very different player, and person. He’s always complaining, has pushed game officials after calls made that he didn’t like, has turned away from his own coaches, and has an on court temper that was a big concern last season. Plus, he’s always talking trash with 7-4 teammate Kristen Porzingis, mostly in arguments.
Said one NBA general manager: “Unbelievable, coaches walking away, general managers leaving, front office breaking up, it’s a disaster.”
Fortunately, Kidd is just glad to fill the role there, doesn’t think disaster is an issue, and is eager to begin his new job. From what I remember, Kidd was usually on the serious side, but does have smarts and a sense of humor.
There was this game when he was coaching the Nets, it was a close one winding down and he needed a time out but didn’t have any left. So with a cup of water or soda, he stood on the sidelines, took a sip and then turned into one of his players, and boom, he dropped the almost full cup and the official close by signaled for a time out so that the floor could be wiped up.
Later, Kidd said with a smirk that it was just an accident, but he did need a time out.
He got along well in his short stay with the Lakers, and LeBron James wished him luck and said: “Damn, I hate to lose JKidd, but damn happy for him and I wish him good luck Kidd., a real good coach and friend.”
