Reports: Jason Kidd Will be 'Top Target' if Blazers Fire Terry Stotts
The Trail Blazers' season has been over less than 24 hours, but that hasn't stopped rumors from swirling about one of the team's biggest decisions in a watershed offseason.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported on Friday that Los Angeles Lakers assistant Jason Kidd will be Portland's "top target" should the organization move on from Terry Stotts, as expected.
"[Kidd] is expected to be a top target of the Portland Trail Blazers with the anticipation that Terry Stotts will be relieved of his duties after nine seasons with the team, sources said."
Marc Stein of The New York Times quickly confirmed that intel, noting there is "strong buzz" league-wide about Kidd taking the reins in Rip City.
Murmurs of the Blazers' interest in Kidd first surfaced in March, as speculation about Stotts' future gained steam. Yahoo and The Athletic subsequently reported that the Hall of Fame point guard would be targeted by Portland if Stotts was fired.
The writing is on the wall for Stotts' tenure with the Blazers. Barring Damian Lillard demanding he remain on the sidelines, Stotts' time in Rip City will likely come to an end after nine seasons – and eight consecutive playoff berths, the longest streak in the NBA.
Whether Kidd is the right choice for Portland is far less certain – well, at least if you're not ready to dismiss his candidacy outright.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks took off immediately after he was replaced on the sidelines by Mike Budenholzer. His most memorable moment as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets was directing Tyshawn Taylor to run into him to give his team an extra timeout in the waning moments of a close game.
Kidd has drawn rave reviews since joining the Lakers under Frank Vogel, though, playing good soldier as an assistant despite the expectation he longed for the first chair in Los Angeles. It bears reminding that he went right from his playing career to his coaching career, too. Kidd, one of the smartest players of his generation, was bound to improve as a coach with additional experience.
But what should concern Jody Allen and Neil Olshey more than questions about Kidd's strategic acumen is his history of domestic abuse. Kidd was arrested and ultimately pled guilty to spousal abuse in January 2001 for striking his then-wife during an argument – an incident that should disqualify him from getting one of the 30 most sought-after coaching jobs in the world.
"There's just a bad history here," Joumana Kidd said on a call to law enforcement, per CBS News. "I told him this would be the last time, and he popped me right in the mouth."
His coaching past suggests Kidd wouldn't be Portland's best option to take over for Stotts, and his history of domestic violence guarantees it. Here's hoping team management grows wise to that reality if the Blazers move on from Stotts and officially begin their coaching search.