Mum’s the word on Kidd.
Once upon a time, Brooklyn Nets guard Deron Williams and Jason Kidd were close friends, going on vacations and golfing together even before the two had a player-coach relationship. The two even have the same agent, Jeff Schwartz of Excel Sports Management.
The friendship was notable enough that the two felt the need to defend Kidd’s ability to coach a friend like Williams during last season’s training camp.
But Williams and Kidd haven’t spoken since Kidd left the Nets after Kidd’s failed power grab in June, Williams said at his Celebrity Dodge Barrage.
“I don’t even know enough about the situation,” Williams said. “I’ve heard a lot of different things, as you guys probably have. I don’t know what exactly happened, but we’re excited about Lionel Hollins being our next coach.”
According to reports in late June, Kidd attempted to usurp general manager Billy King’s position, asking for more power in the Nets organization. When he was declined, the Nets gave him permission to speak with the Milwaukee Bucks, who employed Larry Drew as their head coach at the time. The teams worked out a deal shortly afterwards, with the Nets releasing Kidd from his contract in exchange for two second-round picks from the Bucks.
Williams isn’t alone: Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko said he also hasn’t had any contact with Kidd since the firing. “I am a little surprised (that he left), because Jason has been an integral part of the Nets organization for many years as a player,” Kirilenko added. “It was looking like he was going to be a coach for a long time. But it didn’t happen.”
