The Los Angeles Lakers are currently in search of a new head coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham following their first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets. Amidst this uncertainty, reports suggest that Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is expected to receive a contract extension from Dallas, effectively taking him off the list of potential candidates for the Lakers.
While LeBron James, the Lakers’ star player, has not committed to returning to Los Angeles next season and has the option to opt out of his contract, reports indicate that the Lakers were also eyeing Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue as a potential coaching candidate. However, the Clippers are reportedly seeking to extend Lue’s contract to keep him with their team.
Despite the possibility of a coaching vacancy with the Lakers, sources suggest that both Kidd and Lue are unlikely to hit the coaching market anytime soon. Kidd, who has led the Mavericks to two 50-win seasons and three playoff series wins in his three seasons as head coach, is expected to sign an extension with Dallas. Similarly, the Lakers are not anticipating having the opportunity to pursue either Kidd or Lue as potential coaching candidates.
Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who won an NBA championship with the Mavericks in 2011 and coached Dallas to a first-round playoff victory over the Los Angeles Clippers this season, recently announced that he would be signing an extension with his team. With his past success as a player and coach, Kidd’s reported contract extension solidifies his position within the Mavericks for the foreseeable future.
