Jason Kidd demands that his coach be fired

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Storm
Well I dont know the truth of Kidd wanting Scott out, since he hasn't been directly quoted on it. Also the NY Post isnt the most reliable source of news. They make up stuff all the time.

If he really felt that way about Scott, and thats the only thing keeping him from resigning with the Nets why not just resign. Scott is a free-agent after the upcoming season. This would give time for Scott and Kidd to iron out their differences and who knows maybe they could get to the finals again.

scott is a coach. do coaches go into free agency? or do they just not have contracts renewed?

 

[supesman]

I like Tony Parker but he just isn't the player that Kidd is. BTW, Oneal is going to sign w/ the pacers no chance to getting him out of indiana. Spurs should go for Zo, they still need a big body.

Originally posted by: tm37
I have no idea why you Spurs fans want Kidd.

You already have a good PG I would go after O'neal.

 

[Budmantom]

O'neal and Kid would be a nice addition for the Spurs.

 

[wyvrn]

I think it is safe to say they both have made an impact, and Kidd has made the larger one. Good teams have more than one good player. Good organizations have good talent all over. Though the media likes to glorify certain people as if they are solely responsible for the direction of the franchise, the reality is you need plenty of people behind the scenes to be successful. I don't think making Scott the scapegoat for NJ's failure is at all justified, and to be honest, Kidd's lack of shooting probably did as much or more damage during the finals than any decision Scott made coaching wise. The thing that bugs me with prima dona athletes now is they play armchair GM for the media and it undermines the organization. The question is will NJ have enough self-respect to stand by their own authority and let Kidd go somewhere else.

BTW, I heard today O'neal has told NBA teams he will stay in Indiana and not to bother with any more contract offers. Don't know if it's true though, could be another FA rumor.

Originally posted by: oldirtythao
I always thought scott was a good coach, i mean before he came in where were the nets? sure they players do have something to do with it, but the coach does have a force in winning i.e. Phil Jackson and the lakers. I think kidd just wants a reason to leave.

 

[Storm]

Originally posted by: LeeTJ

Originally posted by: Storm
Well I dont know the truth of Kidd wanting Scott out, since he hasn't been directly quoted on it. Also the NY Post isnt the most reliable source of news. They make up stuff all the time.

If he really felt that way about Scott, and thats the only thing keeping him from resigning with the Nets why not just resign. Scott is a free-agent after the upcoming season. This would give time for Scott and Kidd to iron out their differences and who knows maybe they could get to the finals again.

scott is a coach. do coaches go into free agency? or do they just not have contracts renewed?

Well his contract is up after the upcoming season. So the Nets can sign him to a new deal ie extending his current one. Thats why there were rumors about Scott going to the Lakers since Phil Jackson might retire.

Joumana Kidd says husband did not make demands

It appears that reported demands made by Jason Kidd are a surprise to him as well.

Kidd's wife, Joumana, said her husband never demanded that the New Jersey Nets fire coach Byron Scott as a means of preventing his free-agent defection to the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

In a phone conversation with ESPN the Magazine's Ric Bucher, Joumana Kidd denied the reports that her husband delivered his request during a Tuesday night meeting with his agent, team owners and Nets president Rod Thorn.

She went on to say that the Nets would support her husband in that Kidd never made such a demand.

That's exactly what happened Thursday afternoon. After initially issuing a statement that he would keep his conversation with Kidd private, Thorn eventually released another statement denying that Kidd asked for Scott to be fired.

"I want to categorically refute the story in several of today's papers that Jason Kidd demanded that Nets head coach Byron Scott be fired as a pre-condition to his returning with the New Jersey Nets basketball team," read Thorn's statement. "I want to state emphatically that at no time, in any conversation that I have had with Jason, has he demanded that coach Scott be fired.

"In my over four decades in the NBA, I have never encountered a player more cognizant than Jason of the delineation of roles between management, players and coaches. Jason fully understands that management, and not players, decide who will be employed by the team. I want to reiterate that this was an erroneous story without merit -- Jason Kidd has never asked nor demanded that coach Scott be fired, and to be portrayed otherwise is an injustice to Jason as well as coach Scott."

According to a report in Thursday's New York Post, several league sources said Kidd would only return to the Nets if Scott was fired. The newspaper also says Kidd demanded that the team upgrade its talent.

Neither Kidd nor Thorn were quoted by the Post.

Agent Brian McInerney, who has represented Scott since his playing days as a Laker, told the Post that he spoke with Kidd's agent, Jeff Schwartz, after learning of the player's demands.

"I [talk] to Jeff Schwartz frequently and we both believe that whatever is decided should be decided in a professional manner and not in a public debate," McInerney told the newspaper Wednesday night. "I doubt the validity of this meeting without an official comment from Rod Thorn.

"These releases harm the franchise, harm the players, harm players' families. Everything should only be released through Rod Thorn."

According to one of the tabloid's sources, Kidd told ownership that his complaint stems from Scott's in-game coaching. After the Nets lost the NBA Finals in six games -- Scott was criticized for his fourth-quarter adjustments -- sources told the Post that Kidd told New Jersey's brass his son "T.J. could have coached a better quarter."

Scott wasn't buying it. Asked by the Post if he sensed any ill feelings or animosity from Kidd in their two seasons together, Scott quickly said, "No, not at all."

The two have appeared to be able to work together in the past and, according to the Post's account, have had an amicable relationship away from the court. But during the season there were rumblings of a rift, that Kidd disapproved of Scott's coaching decisions.

Now I would think Ric Bucher is a more reliable source than the NY Post, he does represent ESPN. But yea even ESPN screws up.

 

[iamme]

looks like it was a false rumor. it did seem a little off that he'd say that about Scott.

 

[Lifer]

Byron Scott was a horrible coach. Kidd has 100X more impact on the team than Scott does.

lose Kidd keep Scott, and the Nets win maybe 30 games next season.
lose Scott keep Kidd, and the Nets are playoff-bound for sure.

 

[Hector13]

Originally posted by: wyvrnPersonally, I think this speaks to the character of Jason Kidd and NJ should refuse on principle of not allowing a player to direct the front office.

What if at your place of work you (and/or others) feel that your boss is incompetant and is holding back the progress of your group/firm. Do you think you should tell your boss's boss (or someone more senior) about how you feel? How is this any different?

 

[First]

Well now that it looks like these rumors aren't true, all I have to say is that the Nets will HAVE to pick up another marquee player to add to their roster to have a chance against the West next year, otherwise Kidd will sign with the Spurs or some other already good/great West team (he would be crazy not to, unless he doesn't want a ring anymore which obviously isn't true). I'd LOVE to see Kidd go to the Spurs and Zo replace Robinson on that team. Anything less and the Lakers will eat them alive, and the Kings and Mavs will have legit chances at putting away the Spurs.

 

[jagr10]

Kidd is a punk. He's just got a big ego right now 'cause he's in demand. He's a wife beater and his wife likes to be in the spotlight. Those 2 are a joke.

Lakers are gonna whoop some butt next year. Sure Kidd can make the finals in the East, but he won't win championship. He can go to San Antonio and he still won't win a championship. Either way, he won't win a championship.

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: Hector13

Originally posted by: wyvrnPersonally, I think this speaks to the character of Jason Kidd and NJ should refuse on principle of not allowing a player to direct the front office.

What if at your place of work you (and/or others) feel that your boss is incompetant and is holding back the progress of your group/firm. Do you think you should tell your boss's boss (or someone more senior) about how you feel? How is this any different?

🙂

Kidd has leverage, whethor or not the rumor is true, what is wrong with him using his leverage?? NJ Nets want him back VERY badly, it's not like he's demanding a bunch of perks that are purely for his vanity sake, 2 lockers etc etc. everything that he's supposedly demanding (contract for KMart, More PT for Lucious Harris, Sign Zo . . . ) are all things that in some peoples view would HELP the team.

again, it's not all stuff just for him but for the TEAM, hence what's the big deal?

 

[LeeTJ]

Originally posted by: jagr10
Kidd is a punk. He's just got a big ego right now 'cause he's in demand. He's a wife beater and his wife likes to be in the spotlight. Those 2 are a joke.

Lakers are gonna whoop some butt next year. Sure Kidd can make the finals in the East, but he won't win championship. He can go to San Antonio and he still won't win a championship. Either way, he won't win a championship.

he isn't getting all this attention and leverage because he doesn't deserve it, or because he beat his wife. he EARNED it. he took a perenial last place team to the NBA finals 2 years running.

like him or not, those are the facts.

Kidd didn't get this respect because he broke someones leg like some mafia punk, that's what you call a punk, he got it by EARNING it the old fashioned way.

 

[Ranger X]

Has this been proven yet? Kidd's wife says Jason has never made those remarks. Either way, Kidd has no chance to win a championship in the East with the lineup in the West. If he wants the money and a chance at the ring, he should go to the Mavs or the Spurs next year.