The Story: Jason Kidd has been fired by the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN. Kidd was in his fourth season in Milwaukee, and his fifth overall as an NBA head coach. Assistant Joe Prunty will serve as interim head coach.
Kidd is the third head coach to be let go this season, following Earl Watson (Suns) and David Fizdale (Grizzlies).
The Importance: Bucks fans have been frustrated all season with Kidd. Even with a generational talent like Giannis Antetokounmpo at his disposal, Kidd has been able to muster only a 23-22 record.
The Bucks have lost five of their past seven games—a run that reportedly ultimately prompted the firing—and have fallen to eighth in the Eastern Conference.
Pinpointing the team’s struggles has been painfully easy this season: Milwaukee has one of the worst defenses in the league (with Kidd’s outdated system on that end drawing heavy criticism), it lacks the requisite amount of 3-point shooters, and the team as a whole has been inconsistent.
The Takeaway: Patience with Kidd seemed to be running out long before Monday’s firing. (For what it’s worth, Kidd reportedly hadn’t been told of the decision before the news leaked.) Happy superstar, happy life, but the team’s poor execution hurt Antetokounmpo as well. After a fast start, Giannis has all but been taken out of the MVP race.
There are no rumored possible candidates for Kidd’s replacement at this time. I wonder what Fizdale is up to these days.
