Jason Kidd A Candidate For L.A. Lakers Head Coaching Job If Luke Walton Is Fired After The Season

By Jordan Long

The L.A. Lakers stand at 32-41.  They will miss the NBA postseason for the 6th straight year.   There is speculation Head Coach Luke Walton will be fired after the Lakers play their final regular season game on April 9th and his replacement could be Jason Kidd.

                The Lakers haven’t played well under Walton.  He has been the Lakers’ Head Coach since the start of the 2016-2017 season.  The Lakers were hoping he was going to coach the team to the playoffs for years to come. 

Unfortunately, the opposite happened.  The Lakers haven’t been close to a playoff berth under Walton.  They are a disappointing 93-144 or a winning percentage of .392.   It hasn’t been all Walton’s fault since he is not the general manager, but he didn’t coach the team well or help them on the court.  The Lakers, even with LeBron James, have looked lost on offense and can’t stop the opponents from going on large scoring runs on defense.  That is him not adjusting and it is time for the Lakers to let him go once the year is up.

                There are rumors the Lakers might be interested in Jason Kidd.  According to sports.yahoo.com, Kidd said, “I think when you look at the Lakers as a whole, it’s a franchise that is one of the best in the world—not just in the NBA, but in the world. And so, if you ever have the opportunity to wear the purple and gold, you can’t turn that down—as a coach, as a player—because they’re all about championships.”

Kidd hasn’t coached in the NBA since the end of the 2018 season.  He coached for the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks.  Kidd was with the Nets for 1 year, 2014.  The Nets made the postseason that year and went all the way to the 2^nd round before falling to the Toronto Raptors in 7 games.  Before the start of the 2014-2015 season, Kidd was traded to the Bucks for 2-second round picks.  He was with the Bucks for 4 years and they made the playoffs twice.

                The Lakers should stay away from Kidd.  His record isn’t much better than Walton’s at 183-190 or a winning percentage of .491.  Even if they decide to hire him, there is not a guarantee the product on the hardwood would be improved.  The Lakers need to find someone who can coach James.  Kidd is not the answer.