As if it isn’t obvious enough, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said that Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is no longer part of the list of the Los Angeles Lakers of potential Darvin Ham successors. Kidd has been recently signed by the Mavs to an extension, meaning he’s off-limits now to any team, including, of course, the Lakers.
” Well, Jason Kidd, Dallas announced a new contract extension for him earlier this week. I’m told that’s an additional two years onto a contract that already included next season. So he’s under wraps in Dallas now through 2028. He’s three wins away from perhaps his second conference final in three seasons. And that takes him off potentially, certainly the Lakers wish list.”
"That takes [Jason Kidd] certainly off of the Lakers wishlist." ✍️ @wojespn on Jason Kidd's extension with the Mavs and an update on the Lakers' coaching search 👀 pic.twitter.com/aOMy8PV8UC
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 11, 2024
Los Angeles Lakers’ Search for New Head Coach Continues
Despite missing out on a chance to woo Kidd into Tinseltown (and Mike Budenholzer finding a new home in The Valley with the Phoenix Suns), the Lakers will be looking to come away with some form of progress, at the very least, in the coming week, per Woj.
“Their search is going to ramp up this week, I’m told. Rob Pelinka, the Lakers front office, they’ll be in Chicago for the league’s draft combine. You can expect them to start calling for permission to talk to coaches around the league assistance. But one name that the Lakers have been drilling down on in their initial research here, J.J. Redick, our colleague at ESPN. He is certainly somebody the Lakers are intrigued with. They’ve been making a lot of calls to try to learn more about him. But expect this to be a wide ranging and a lengthy search for LA.
The Lakers fired Ham after just two seasons with him calling the shots for the team. Ham was let go following a near sweep at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Kidd, meanwhile, is still busy in the postseason, with the Mavs in the middle of a heated series versus the Oklahoma City Thunder.
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