Should the Wizards Hire Jason Kidd as Head Coach

Jason Kidd has now entered the pool of potential head coaches, but should the Washington Wizards consider hiring him?

Apr 8, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

All signs point to the Washington Wizards keeping Brian Keefe as head coach for next season. After all, Will Dawkins did say he expects Keefe to be back as head coach. This does not mean the team will not be looking at available coaches, though. Fans speculated that Taylor Jenkins would be a good addition, but he went elsewhere. Now, a new coach enters the pool as Jason Kidd parted ways with the Dallas Mavericks.

BREAKING: Jason Kidd is out as coach of the Dallas Mavericks. New Mavericks president Masai Ujiri is making a coaching change. pic.twitter.com/NKeOrEm5rh

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 19, 2026

Fans are split on whether Kidd would be a good hire, though. The ones that say he would be is due to his experience and relationship with Anthony Davis. The ones who say it would be a bad hire say it is because Keefe hasn't been given a chance yet, and that Kidd and the Mavericks collapsed once Luka Doncic was gone. Yet to truly understand if Kidd would do well in Washington, we need to break everything down.

The Pros

The pros of hiring Kidd are that you get an experienced coach who has respect amongst NBA players. Keefe was recently voted the least impressive coach amongst 100 NBA players in a poll by The Athletic. He received 22 votes. Kidd, on the other hand, only received three votes. He did not receive any votes for most impressive coach, but the fact is that he has much more respect amongst players around the league.

Apr 5, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Washington Wizards head coach Brian Keefe looks on during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Kidd also has recent playoff success with a star point guard. He reached the NBA Finals in 2024 with the Mavericks, where Doncic was at the helm. He also had a good supporting cast of players and young talent. One of those young players was Jaden Hardy. He was also able to maximize Dereck Lively's potential, and he could do the same with Alex Sarr and Tristan Vukcevic.

The Cons

The cons are the fact that Kidd has been fired multiple times as a head coach. He was not fired by the Mavericks; it was reported that they mutually parted ways. It is still not a good sign that he has already been fired or left multiple teams. He may use Washington as a stepping stone to coach another team after two seasons in The District.

The team is also lacking a certain kind of player Kidd loves: a big point guard. Trae Young is going to be the Wizards' point guard for presumably the next few seasons, and that is not the kind of player Kidd loves to coach. If he came in, the odds are he would rarely play Young and not be able to maximize the offensive output this team could have.

The Verdict

The final verdict is that while it sounds nice to add a proven coach, the timing isn't right, especially for Kidd. Sure, he has proven he can win with a superstar, but give him a decent team, and they don't make the playoffs. The same situation as the Mavericks last season could happen with the Wizards if Kidd is the coach.

We have also yet to see what Keefe can do when a team is not actively tanking. Keefe does a good job at designing set plays, but we have yet to see what else he can do. A team with winning aspirations could really show the extent of Keefe as a head coach. So for now, the Wizards should ride it out with Keefe one more season.

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