Brooklyn Nets head coach Jason Kidd has been officially suspended by the NBA for pleading guilty to driving while impaired by alcohol, the league announced today.
Kidd will be suspended for the season opener in Cleveland, as well as the team’s home opener against the Miami Heat. Lawrence Frank will most likely assume head coaching duties for those two games. The suspension means that Kidd’s first game as head coach will come on November 3rd against the Orlando Magic in Orlando, with his first home game coming November 5th against the Utah Jazz.
The suspension was expected, as the NBA has a precedent for two-game suspensions following DUI settlements. Three players have been suspended since 2009 for two games following DUI incidents — Dorell Wright, Jason Richardson, and Gabe Pruitt. In 2007, then-Sacramento Kings coach Eric Musselman also received a two-game suspension following a DUI arrest.
Kidd agreed to do community service, speaking to Long Island High School kids about the dangers of drinking and driving. Reports from the night of the accident allege that the intoxicated Kidd had to be carried out of a club. He was incredibly lucky to only crash his car into a tree, instead of another car, pedestrian, or wall.
Update: Billy King has released a statement on the suspension:
“The decision is consistent with what the league has done in the past and we look forward to Jason leading our team versus Orlando and the rest of the year.”
