Jason Kidd is reportedly ‘not expected to have a serious shot’ at being hired as Lakers head coach

On Tuesday, it was revealed by Dave McMenamin of ESPN that former Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd interviewed for the vacant Los Angeles Lakers head coaching position on Monday with general manager Rob Pelinka and team advisor Kurt Rambis.

The report was met with strong criticism both on this site and all over social media, and given the lack of success Kidd has had as an NBA head coach, that reaction is probably warranted.

However, Lakers fans can rest easy knowing that Kidd likely won’t be considered for the job despite interviewing, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times:

The Lakers also interviewed Jason Kidd for the position on Monday, according to the same people. Pelinka and senior basketball advisor Kurt Rambis conducted the interview. Rambis returned to the organization last summer. He is married to Linda Rambis, the Lakers’ director of special projects who is Buss’ closest confidante.

Kidd is not expected to have a serious shot at the Lakers’ job — a position that some in the organization felt he was campaigning for during the season.

Among those that felt he was openly campaigning for the job during an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump” last month was (reportedly) Lakers team president and controlling owner Jeanie Buss, and Kidd wasn’t expected get his foot in the door for that reason, according to a different report from Turner earlier this month:

Kidd, an NBA Hall of Fame point guard, won’t be on the list either, according to people, who said Lakers owner Jeanie Buss was not happy to see the former Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks coach recently on TV shows talking about the Lakers job.

However, after Magic Johnson stepped down from his role as president of basketball operations last month, it seems as though the door opened for originally unlikely candidates like Kidd to get an interview. By that same logic, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility to see former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson get a sit-down as well.

Will Kidd get the job? It sounds like probably not. But will his agency, Excel Sports Management, appreciate the gesture of the Lakers keeping his name alive as a real option for teams when Kemba Walker his unrestricted free agency or when Brandon Ingram is up for an extension? Let’s hope so.

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