Jason Kidd a 'prime candidate' for Mavs' coaching job?

Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Jason Kidd reportedly a 'prime candidate' for Mavericks' coaching job

By Zac Wassink | Last updated Jun 24, 2021 3:57 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks are in search of a new general manager and head coach, and ESPN's Tim MacMahon linked former Dallas star guard and current Los Angeles Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd with the Mavericks last week.

Such whispers aren't quieting in the early days of summer.

Mark Stein of the New York Times tweeted Thursday that Kidd is set to "be a prime candidate" to take over as Mavericks head coach. Interestingly, Rick Carlisle, who left Dallas after 13 seasons and is returning to the Indiana Pacers to accept their coaching job, said his "hope is that Jason Kidd will be next coach of the Mavs."

Carlisle's motives for the statement will certainly be questioned, but one source noted Kidd has many fans within the franchise after helping Dallas win its breakthrough title in 2011. He was always sure to be strongly considered for the club's first coaching vacancy since 2008.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2021

Kidd helped Dallas win the 2011 NBA Finals as a player and earned a spot in the Hall of Fame, and he previously served as a head coach with the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. He's tallied an overall record of 183-190 as a head coach and has been an assistant with the Lakers since the summer of 2019.

He removed his name from consideration for the Portland Trail Blazers' opening earlier this month.

Zac Wassink

Zac Wassink is a longtime sports news writer and PFWA member who began his career in 2006 and has had his work featured on Yardbarker, MSN, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report. He is also a football and futbol aficionado who is probably yelling about Tottenham Hotspur at the moment and who chanted for Matt Harvey to start the ninth inning of Game 5 of the 2015 World Series at Citi Field. You can find him on X at @ZacWassink

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