Kidd is out

WTF JUST HAPPENED!?!??! I was just sitting on my coach enjoying Tanaka throw a gem then I check twitter to see that Jason Kidd made a “power play” to run basketball operations of the Nets, and failed. Now he is “likely” out as the head coach of the Nets and is interviewing to become president of basketball operations for the Milwaukee Bucks. (OH look Tanaka just lost the game. What a great night!) Jason Kidd did an outstanding job in his first year with the Nets. It looked to be a lost season when Brook Lopez went down, but instead Kidd went to a smaller lineup and changed the season around. Kidd was a great coach when it came to the rotations and game plans; I mean the Nets were two or three plays away from being up 3-2 on the Heat in the second round of the playoffs. Now the Nets don’t have a head coach and are a complete and utter mess. Also if Kidd goes to the Bucks, the Nets will most likely get a first round pick from them.

First let’s look at Kidd as running basketball operations. I would have been 100% behind it. What has Billy King done that makes you say he should not been have fired? During the season I thought the Nets had their coach of the future; now they’re back to square one.

What Jason Kidd did here was very smart. Bomani Jones explained it perfectly on twitter and I’ll just re-write what he said. (Paraphrasing) “Kidd has five million left on his contract that isn’t job security so what does Kidd have to lose if he feels Billy King might get the boot soon. Because if Billy King goes, Kidd will go soon after. Kidd is close friends with the Bucks new owner so if Kidd walked up to the Nets and was denied to run the front office he had a safe place at the Bucks.” What Kidd did was smart and very dirty. He went behind the back of the man who hired him and traded to get him fired.

This leaves the Nets in a horrible place. They’re entering their third season in Brooklyn and will be on their fourth head coach. Why would Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett or Shaun Livingston come back to this mess? Comeback to an organization with no culture and no stability? The Nets look like the Knicks. Right now the Nets need a new coach and please God, not Mark Jackson. The Nets have to go with a young coach; that will be the long term answer, not a re-trend coach.

Here are three quick options:

Mike Longabardi of the Phoenix Suns. He was an assistant under the Celtics with Doc Rivers where he learned from Tom Thibodeau. He has been an assistant coach for the Suns the last couple of years and is a great defensive coach. He was also born in Brooklyn. He has been an assistant forever and has paid his dues. He is ready to become a NBA coach and I will be the leader of his bandwagon. Get him to Brooklyn!

David Fizdale of the Miami Heat. He did interview for a couple of jobs this offseason about their head coaching job but was turned away. He has been an assistant with the Heat since 2008. He is well respected by LeBron James and is believed to one day be a NBA coach.

Sean Sweeney. I have no idea who he is. Sean Sweeney is the youngest member of the Nets coaching staff and is highly regarded within the organization and will be coaching the summer league team for the Nets. Sweeney moved to the bench midseason last year after being promoted from video coordinator. Kidd always seemed to listen to Sweeney. The only problem about Sweeney is that he’s 29 years old. However, if he’s highly regarded, I don’t care how old he is, let him coach if you like him.

Like I said this was just a quick list of names the Nets are reportedly looking for someone with coaching experience in NBA or college.  

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