Jason Kidd’s most recent offseason was a strange one.
In just his first season as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, a job that he took just days after ending his 19-year playing career, Kidd engineered a post All-Star break surge that left the Nets at 44-38, good for the 6th overall seed in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn would go on to win their first round matchup against Toronto before falling in the second round to Miami.
Not a bad first year though, right?
Kidd certainly didn’t think so. In fact, after seemingly proving himself in just one years time, he wanted more. That ‘more’ meant having more power in the organization that had just retired his player jersey only eight months prior. More specifically, he wanted control over the roster. He wasn’t a fan of Nets GM Billy King’s personnel moves that season, and he also felt underpaid when compared to some other coaches around the league with a similar level of experience.
The Nets front office didn’t appreciate the sentiments, and in turn informed Kidd that if he was so unhappy, well then he was definitely free to look elsewhere.
And so he did.
For whatever reason, he looked to the Milwaukee Bucks, who were fresh off of a franchise-worst 15-67 season under first-year coach Larry Drew. Kidd’s agent reached out to the Bucks, and after working out a trade deal with the Nets, agreed to take on Kidd as coach…in exchange for two second-round draft picks; one in 2015, and one in 2019. Drew, who was still acting coach when the deal was reached, was subsequently sent packing, and the dust settled on a bizarre and somewhat unprofessional situation shortly after.
The decision to bring in Kidd after such a tumultuous situation was a risky one for the Bucks. But then again, they were the Bucks, and it really couldn’t have gotten much worse than the season the team had under Drew. While Kidd had the benefit of a solid and veteran-laden roster in Brooklyn, the team was still considered to have underachieved in some capacities. In Milwaukee, Kidd was faced with the task of motivating a young, inexperienced, and somewhat unhappy roster of players that were still hanging their heads from the previous season. The awating task was nothing like his debut season with the Nets.
But yet here the Bucks are, 30-23, and in firm control of the sixth playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.
It’s not that the roster is much different than in 2013-2014, aside from the drafting of lottery pick and once-favorite for 2015 Rookie of the Year Jabari Parker. Parker was indeed a great addition to the Milwaukee lineup, but he’s been out for the season since tearing his ACL back on Dec. 15. The Bucks have managed to continue their improved play in his absence, and are actually 17-11 since losing him.
With Parker out, Kidd has relied on third-year small forward Khris Middleton, who has responded with solid play after seeing his minutes increase by over 10 minutes per game since the Parker injury. Other young players such as Brandon Knight, John Henson, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, have stepped up their play under Kidd’s guidance.
So what’s the reason for the Buck’s turnaround under Kidd? Nothing too complicated– he’s gotten them to play with the traits that allowed him to span three decades in the league as a player. Like Kidd during his playing days, this Milwaukee team is scrappy, hustles on every possession, plays team-oriented ball, and clamps down on defense, taking a holistic approach to the game. Simply put, the team is an extension of Jason Kidd.
One of the worst defensive teams in the league during the previous season, the Bucks are currently fifth in opponent field goal percentage with 43 percent, and sixth in points allowed, with 97.2 per game. After being second to last in defensive efficiency last season, Milwaukee is currently second in the entire league.
Offensively, after ranking towards the bottom of the league in efficiency last season, the Bucks have moved up to 17th. The pass-happy offensive approach has paid off as well, as Milwaukee is currently seventh in the league in assists per game with 23.7, which should obviously make one of the greatest passing point guards in NBA history very happy.
In addition to the loss of Parker, Kidd has had to deal with the distractions of young and promising center Larry Sanders, who has missed several games this year due to both injuries, suspensions, and personal issues. Although Sanders has proven to be one of Milwaukee’s best defenders while providing much-needed offensive production with the team’s second unit, he has missed the last 18 games after the team essentially sent him home while figuring out what exactly to do with him. The Bucks have gone 11-7 since his extended absence, and he now appears on his way out of Milwaukee officially, as the team is negotiating a buyout.
This year’s version of the Bucks might not make it deep into the playoffs, but for a team that has already doubled it’s win total of last season by this year’s All-Star break, I’m sure they’ll take it. Jason Kidd has gotten his roster to buy into what he’s selling, and there is no doubt that they respect him, which was hard for him to earn last season when he was fresh off his playing days and suddenly found himself in charge of veteran players such as Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.
If it weren’t for the success of coaches such as Steve Kerr and Mike Budenholzer this season, it’s very likely that Kidd would be in the running for Coach of the Year. Not bad for a coach who is only the fourth coach in NBA history to change teams after a rookie head coaching season.
For someone like Kidd, who has always done things his way and without apologies, it’s highly appropriate. For Milwaukee’s sake, let’s hope he doesn’t try an even more ambitious power-grab this offseason, aiming to become team president or perhaps NBA Commissioner.
It might not work out so well next time.
