Is Jason Kidd the Dallas Mavericks' Savior or a Coach Killer?

A few years back, I loved Jason Kidd. I thought he was the best point guard in the NBA and a lock to be a future Hall of Famer. He was the prototypical point that I would want on my team. He defended with the best of them, passed better than anybody, and hands down made his teammates better. He did everything a point guard was suppose to do.

Then, the true Jason Kidd emerged in my eyes. Not physically—but mentally.  And in particular, his prima donna ways.

In 2004, during the middle of the year, Byron Scott was fired as the head coach of the Nets. Scott not only had taken the lowly Nets to the NBA Finals the previous two years, but he had the Nets in first place of the division when he was let go.

News reports immediately surfaced that a rift between Scott and Kidd was the cause for Scott’s departure.

How did each other fare afterwards?

Scott went on to be more than okay. He is the reigning Coach of the Year and has rejuvenated a Hornets organization with the help of Chris Paul. If you look at Scott’s coaching record over the years, it seems Thorn should have thought twice about who of the two he should have let go.

What about Scott’s replacement in New Jersey? Lawrence Frank who was a young, inexperienced head coach—and, in my opinion, a walkover for Kidd. A guy who would not be in Kidd’s way. He would let Jason run the team and do what he wanted.

The result? An underachieving team over the years, now completely in rebuilding mode.

In my opinion, Jason Kidd is a coach killer and ultimately a team-chemistry killer. Kidd can make all of his teammates better on the floor—but, at some point, I think everything comes down to being all about himself.  Let’s take a look at Kidd’s career for more examples:

• Midway through Kidd’s freshman year at Cal his coach, Lou Campanelli, was let go.
• In 2000, Danny Ainge, head coach of the Phoenix Suns while Kidd was on the team, decides not to re-sign as coach of the Suns.
• Dick Motta was fired while Kidd was playing for the Mavericks.
• Scott Skiles didn’t re-sign to coach the Suns until Kidd was traded to New Jersey.
• Byron Scott was fired midway through the season in 2004.
• Avery Johnson was fired this past year—Not entirely because of Kidd.

Looking toward the future, I do not see how Carlisle and Kidd will mesh. Carlisle likes a slower game and is a control freak. On the other hand, Kidd likes it uptempo and is a control freak.  Two opposing styles + Two control freaks = Mess.

With Kidd going into the last year of his contract, I don’t see him with the Mavericks beyond this year. I see the Mavs struggling and looking to enter the dreadful rebuilding era.

I said from day one—Cuban should have never made the Kidd trade.  If history decides to repeat itself, I—as well as many others—will proven be right.