It looked like the Jason Kidd coaching experiment had failed.
This was last season, of course, when the Brooklyn Nets just weren't playing together and Kidd was pouring Diet Coke all over the floor.
But then Kidd got the Nets going by tinkering with the lineup and eventually they advanced to the second-round of the NBA playoffs. Granted, it was in the Eastern Conference, but still, for any first-year head coach, that’s impressive.
Brooklyn’s roster was stuck with players like the oft-injured Deron Williams, the aging Kevin Garnett and the cap-hit of Joe Johnson. So when Brooklyn turned down Kidd’s power play of getting involved in the front office this past offseason, it might not have been the worst thing for Kidd.
In a surprising and almost unprecedented move, the Nets sent Kidd to the Bucks for a measly two second-round picks. He became the fourth coach in NBA history to immediately switch teams after his rookie season. The last was Stan Albeck in 1980.
Milwaukee’s roster has a higher upside than Brooklyn’s. There are young pieces like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker that most coaches would love to mold. There’s still work to do with this team, but there is flexibility, something Kidd didn't have with Brooklyn.
Many predicted that Milwaukee would be one of the Eastern Conference’s worst teams this season, which certainly is saying something when you consider just how bad the East is. Kidd’s Bucks, though, have been a pleasant surprise for Milwaukee fans.
The Bucks sit in sixth place in the East with a 19-18 record. Again, yes it is the East, but making the playoffs with a young and improving roster would be a great thing for this squad. It won’t be like the old days when the Bucks signed expensive veterans just to make the playoffs. If they were eliminated, so be it. This is different. This team is built for the long-term, and Kidd has had a lot do with its early success.
Bucks point guard Brandon Knight recently said that Kidd has been such a great coach because he makes the players feel like they are good and on a good team. They practice like they are a playoff-caliber team and that has translated into wins. Sure, this team isn't as good as it will one day, but don’t tell that to this current Bucks team. They are worried about the now.