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Jason Kidd is moving on to the Dallas Mavericks and the former Los Angeles Lakers assistant and Hall of Fame guard had a message for LeBron James on his way out.
Kidd tweeted out a message for James once his hiring as the head coach of the Mavericks was officially announced.
“From winning Olympic [gold] to taking home the 2020 NBA chip, our time together has been incredible [LeBron James]. Good luck King.”
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The message was in response to a tweet from James the day prior.
“Damn I hate to lose JKidd man but damn I’m happy for him at the same time!” James wrote. “Good luck Kidd!”
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel also had a strong reaction to Kidd leaving as wekk, but wants to see him succeed.
“Jason has been a big part of the culture we have built over the last two years and he will be missed,” Vogel said in a statement to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “But, I am thrilled for him to get the opportunity to be a head coach again! It’s well deserved!”
There’s Mutual Respect Between James, Kidd
There’s major mutual respect between James and Kidd, two players with unique skill sets that’ll both end up in the Hall of Fame.
ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz reported that multiple sources told him that James regards Kidd “as the only person alive who sees the game of basketball with his level of clarity.”
Kidd shared with Melissa Rohlin of Sports Illustrated that he believes James will be able to stay on top of his game until his 40s because of his high basketball IQ.
“It’s going to help him play until he’s 40,” Kidd said of James. “His IQ is always going to help him because he’s going to be able to take less steps, right? Instead of running a six-mile race, he can run a five-mile race just because of his IQ.”
James has proven that so far. He was an MVP candidate before a high-ankle sprain that was caused by a player sliding into his leg. Despite being hobbled, James averaged 25 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.8 assists last season
Kidd Thankful for Championship Season With Lakers
Kidd also thanked the Lakers organization, specifically Lakers president Jeanie Buss, for his time in Los Angeles.
“Thank you Lakers and Jeanie Buss for the last two years and the opportunity to grow as a coach. Our championship season was unforgettable. Thrilled to return to the Dallas Mavericks organization and begin another chapter.”
That being said, Kidd is excited for his third head coaching gig and first since the 2017-18 season.
Kidd’s previous stops were with the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets, where he compiled a 183-190 record as a head coach.
“Dallas has meant so much to me as a player and I want to thank (owner) Mark Cuban for the opportunity to return as a head coach,” Kidd said. “I am excited to get to work with this young, hungry and incredibly talented team and to continue to build a winning legacy for the Mavericks organization.”
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