The Los Angeles Lakers revealed on Friday that head coach Darvin Ham has left the team in an anticipated move. After the Lakers’ embarrassing loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Playoffs’ opening round, it appeared as though Ham would soon be leaving.
With the goal of hiring a new head coach before the NBA Draft in late June, the Lakers will now enter the summer. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, current Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is one name that has supposedly surfaced on the Lakers want list.
Meanwhile, McMenamin stated, “The guys that they’re considering and contemplating have ties to LeBron James.” “Jason Kidd of the Mavericks, Tyronn Lue of the Clippers, and JJ Redick of ESPN and The Mind the Game Podcast are three names I’ve been told in the last six or seven hours.”
In the six years that LeBron James has been a member of the Lakers, the franchise will be searching for its fourth head coach. JJ Redick appears to be the most likely coach among the three individuals listed above, if that is the Lakers’ short list of preferred candidates.
While Jason Kidd is having success as the head coach of the Mavericks, Tyronn Lue and the Clippers are reportedly interested in extending their deal. To speak with the Lakers, they would need approval from both the Mavericks and the Clippers.
One of the best coaches in the NBA right now is Jason Kidd.
It’s hardly shocking that Jason Kidd is at the top of the Lakers’ list of candidates for head coach. LeBron James has always had a soft spot for Kidd, even when Kidd wasn’t playing professionally. In addition, he has coaching expertise with James, having worked with Frank Vogel from 2019 to 2021.
However, Kidd’s standing as a head coach wasn’t always as it is now. The Brooklyn Nets hired him as a head coach of what they believed to be a competitive squad that featured Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Joe Johnson as soon as he retired from playing. After just one season, he moved to take a position with the Milwaukee Bucks since the Nets did not do well under his leadership.
Kidd’s four years as head coach of the Bucks were also marred by inconsistent play; he only led the team to one winning season (42-40). During his tenure, the Bucks missed the postseason in the first round both of the occasions they made it. The Bucks dismissed Kidd midway through the 2017–18 campaign.
Kidd was hired by the Mavericks prior to the 2021–22 season, having served as an assistant coach with the Lakers. He helped the Mavericks become a strong defensive team and guided them to the Western Conference Finals that season. After the NBA Trade Deadline, the Mavericks struggled to integrate Kyrie Irving, which prevented them from making the playoffs in the 2022–2023 season.
However, this season has seen the Mavericks make a significant comeback and has been one of Kidd’s best as a coach. Under Kidd, the Mavericks have improved their defense even further and are making their second trip to the second round of the playoffs in three years.
