Update:
Jason Kidd will be hired as an assistant coach for Frank Vogel, according to Tania Ganguli of the LA Times. Vogel’s hiring was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Woj reports that Kidd will have a “prominent” role on the staff although the capacity is not yet known.
Can confirm that Frank Vogel has agreed to a deal to become the Lakers' next head coach. Jason Kidd will be one of his assistants.
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) May 11, 2019
Original story follows:
After missing out on both Monty Williams and Frank Vogel, it appears as though the Los Angeles Lakers coaching search has centered around Frank Vogel. The former Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic head coach was originally billed to be Lue’s top assistant in LA but after the former Cavaliers manager declined the Lakers’ offer, Vogel became one of the top candidates to become the lead man.
Earlier on Saturday, it was reported that Vogel made a “strong impression” on the Lakers and was expected to get a second interview for the job. Meanwhile, it seems like the organization is still meddling in the creation of the rest of the coaching staff.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Jason Kidd, who has been linked to the Lakers job for months, is deemed to be a strong candidate to join Vogel on the bench.
As the Lakers head coaching search has become focused on Frank Vogel, Jason Kidd remains a strong candidate to play a prominent role as an assistant coach, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 11, 2019
The Kidd saga has been immensely strange from the start. He interviewed for the head coaching job early in the process, meaning the Lakers saw him as one of the lead candidates. But they tried to convince Lue (who seemed open to the idea) to hire Kidd as his lead assistant. And when Lue declined their (cheap) offer, instead of then going after Kidd as their head coach, they are now trying to force him on Vogel’s potential staff.
Kidd is not a good head coach. He has had two jobs and failed at both. The Milwaukee Bucks have leaped to being arguably the best team in the league immediately after firing him.
He is also not a great dude. In his profession, he has not gotten along well with employers or co-workers. In his personal life, he has a history of domestic violence.
What the Lakers see in Kidd is already beyond anyone with an inkling of information on his career. But why they have an obsession to put him on any other head coach’s staff while not making him the head coach is just bizarre and unprecedented.
