The past week or so has created a plethora of theories as to what Jason Kidd did and why he did it. Was it for power? Was it the money? Was Kidd just acting foolishly or was he being very shrewd and cunning? Here is our take. See what you think…
Was Jason Kidd ‘outsmarted’ by Nets management or was Kidd the ‘smart’ one. Fantasy Furnace thinks that the reason for “JASONGATE” was simple-he just wanted out of his contract… Photo: USA Today
Plain and simple, it appears that Jason Kidd, at present a rookie NBA coach, just wanted out of Brooklyn. One reason is that the Nets, as presently constituted, have holes and question marks up and down their roster going into next season. More doubt has been cast as to whether Brook Lopez will be able to play an entire season without having any further surgeries. Clearly he will be put on time restriction at around 20 minutes per game next year. Deron Williams? Does anyone know if he will ever return to the all-star point guard status that he enjoyed in Utah? Paul Pierce? Does he return to Brooklyn? Will Garnett, if he’s back, also get put on a minute-watch? Point is perhaps Kidd felt that his sophomore season would have been hurt by some of these older players, their restrictions, and their future.
Another reason why Kidd wanted out could be the newly inked contracts recently given to two other neophyte NBA coaches; Steve Kerr and Derek Fisher. Their very lucrative contracts raised the bar for the salaries of rookie professional coaches and apparently Kidd found that appealing. Thing is, had he thought this through, he might have been better served to have stayed right where he was, worked hard, and then could have thought about seeking a better contract with Brooklyn, or another team, since the ceiling had already been raised so high by Kerr and Fisher.
Does anyone really think that Kidd thought that Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov would allow Kidd to usurp Billy King and thus place him in charge of Nets operations? After just one season? (and a rocky one at that) and with a very flimsy resume at best? Let me put it to you this way; you just started working at a company and after doing a fairly good job overall in your first year there, you go into the owner’s office and request to be promoted to CEO. What do you think your chances would be of securing that position?
Kidd knew that not only would Prokhorov turn him down, but that he would ultimately be shown the door which is exactly what he wanted the owner to do in the first place. And the reason why Kidd had no problem with this is because he knew that the Bucks new co-owner Marc Lasry, already had a coaching position just waiting for him in Milwaukee as he had been looking to replace Larry Drew. No, this move last week by Kidd was not about the power. Knowing the way Kidd operates that will probably come in time, especially if he can do an admirable job with some of the younger talent that he will inherit on his new club.
The biggest collateral damage to take place as a result of Kidd’s actions was the firing of a very classy Larry Drew, the Bucks coach who was let go in order to make room for Jason Kidd. Drew, curbing his anger, took the ‘High road’ by thanking the Bucks and the fans for a “memorable year.” The two men who gained the most from all of this is first, Lawrence Frank, former Nets coach who was lured into becoming Kidd’s chief assistant when he took over the reins of the club and who subsequently was ‘demoted’ by Kidd shortly thereafter. Kidd’s firing, we believe, did not upset Frank’s day in the least.
And secondly, Lionel Hollins, the newly appointed Nets coach who was not exactly saddened by Kidd’s firing either as it opened the door for his hiring. Hollins, a huge upgrade over Kidd, is an excellent coach who did an outstanding job in Memphis and who will work well with the club this season.
Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins will be taking over as coach of the Brooklyn Nets this Fall. Photo: AP
What will be the fallout on Kidd’s part? Time will tell. Clearly his legacy has been tarnished and his reputation sullied. Will he thrive in Milwaukee? Will he be booed in many cities during next season, will the Nets decide to remove his banner from Barclays Center? Point is, does anyone really think that Jason Kidd didn’t have this all planned in the first place? No Kidding!!
* For an excellent in-depth look at Kidd’s past including his personal & professional indiscretions over the years, be sure to check out this link http://wp.me/p26SiB-1Pe (our friends at smallthoughtsinasportsworld).
FANTASY FURNACE 
Kidd is a bombastic narcissistic ba#tard ! One year on the job and all of a sudden he believe he’s the equal of Jerry West , Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson as an executive or head coach ? The Nets are better off without him and the Bucks are likely to sink because the makeup of that roster is not that enticing or that good .
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One more thing about this whole incident has been the hypocrisy of the NBA hierarchy and their lack of action. Kidd lobbied for the position with the Milwaukee Bucks before any decision had actually been made by the front office to fire Larry Drew . That to me is indicative of the lack of credibility that the NBA has now, under Adam Silver and his predecessor David Stern , the latter being a real frigging moron ! He (Stern) is still getting a pass from the press and anal retentive fans over his lack of action concerning not only Donald Sterling but also Rich DeVos , owner of the Orlando Magic . Gutter press and equally dumb @ss fans , who accept indecent actions and behavior as being acceptable .
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Although I believe that there was a ‘deal’ in place between Lasry and Kidd prior to Kidd’s request for a self-promotion, how does one go about proving it?
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Do you believe that the NBA has any integrity at all ?
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Sometimes they do exhibit integrity, and sometimes, as in the Donald Sterling fiasco, and the ill-fated five month lock out during the 2011-2012 season, a season that did not begin until Christmas day 2011, they are devoid of same.
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Kidd had to have known that neither Billy King or Mikhail Prokhorov were prepared to promote him after a year on the job . Jason Kidd showed a considerable lack of class in seeking the position when no action had yet been taken by the Bucks’ front office with regard to Larry Drew . There may well have rumblings as to a firing , but nothing more than that , with even owner , Herb Kohl , having not made a public statement ,
As to this idiocy of there being integrity within the NBA , that is farcical to say the very least . David Stern was a pompous windbag as commissioner and Adam Silver is proving that he’s not much smarter than his predecessor . Let me ask you this , prior to Sterling’s recent tirade , it was widely known of his racial uttering with his having been sued by the US Justice Dept for not only being a slum landlord in the greater Los Angeles area , but also describing many of his tenants in racially derogatory terms . How the fu#k can that have escaped Davide Stern’s attention ? And why the league’s inaction concerning the Orlando Magic owner Rich De Vos ? The NBA remains a damn joke and the fans are a poor excuse with their continued apathy and lack of intelligence shown ., DeVos repeated homophobic rants in private as well as public , and he gets a pass , even after Stern’s now farcical comments with regard to Jason Collins .
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Agreed about Stern/Sterling’s past racist remarks, but let me ask you this Al… The entire NBA knew about Sterling’s past…Why is it that we didn’t hear any outcries from the Players Association? No one in that organization was calling for Sterling’s head either. They just sat on their hands and kept their mouths shut!!
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Hank
During Stern spent more time watering down the league , making sure the players (marquee) were front and center in the league’s marketing , rather than his marketing the teams . He used the nineties and the genre of gangsta rap , racial stereotypes to sell the brand . No criticism there from anyone (print and and television) or those within the African-American community . No surprise there considering the idiocy and lack of leadership and structure among that particular demographic.
Now when the likes of Mark Cuban comes along and levels criticism at him with valid reasons , David Stern fined the Mavericks’ owner . In the case of Donald Sterling’s trial , that was published in the national print media and he was reported on television within the local market and then carried nationally ., During time-span, hat the hypocrisy of the league was on full view . Donald Sterling was given a reprimand but not fined by the league hierarchy until a third incident . Now everyone is said to be peeved by this latest action ? As of yet , neither David Stern or Adam Silver have done a thing to Rich DeVos , owner of the Orlando Magic . US fans are apathetic and not as clued in on sports , much less intelligent enough to realize what is actually going on within their midst and that is most definitely seen in how they also view the political arena as well . The entire NBA remains a damn joke and will continue to do because there is no integrity or leadership to be found among the hierarchy , union , owners and general managers . Idiots are fawning over the likes LeBron and Phil Jackson as if they are some sort of deity .
The sale of the Los Angeles Clippers remains in peril , with the legal issue now to begin within US Federal Court and should the judgment go against Rochelle Sterling , the sale would be halted , unless she chose to appeal the decision in Appellate Court (Federal Division) . Potential buyer Steve Ballmer may well seek to call off the purchase altogether , further embarrassing the NBA . So are you still insistent that the league has or did have some integrity ? If so then cite the instances of them showing some at all ? Certainly wasn’t there with regard to Jason Collins and the fact that it was a year in the making, before he was signed by a team.
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Agreed there was a total lack of intergrity on the NBA’s part, but again, what did the Players Union do about all the racist incidents by Sterling? How did the protest the crap that was spewing out of the idiot’s mouth? I do not recall reading anything written by or reportedly said by the Players Union. Nothing! Why Al? Don’t they represent the players???
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Hank
Are you aware what has been going on with the Players’ Union (NBPA) ? They are in the midst of a lengthy litigation with the union being sued by their former President Billy Hunter for wrongful dismissal , while seeking punitive damages for slander and libel . They allege that his actions , claims of larceny and theft of union funds . Hunter claims the allegations are groundless , albeit , he hired unqualified family members to as employees for the union , with a number handling monetary affairs for the union . Claims made by Derek Fisher , former union President are that Hunter had monies diverted into private accounts for the family’s own use . These claims have been denied by Billy Hunter , and he claims that many of the transactions in question were unanimously voted on by their executive committee , with those funds being used for outside business investments . Make of it what you will, but Fisher and the union are the defendants in the case.
The NBPA remain a bunch of self-aggrandizing hypocrites .
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But this litigation in ongoing now. Sterling was heavily involded with a litany of racial transgressions years ago Al!!
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Hank
The NBA hierarchy has a responsibility to the fans and public alike , in being morally and socially responsible . Yet their actions have belied that very fact . Donald Sterling was found guilty in US Federal Court ( joint action by US Justice Dept and HUD ) of being a slum landlord in the greater Los Angeles area and using derogatory racial terms to describe his residential tenants , many of whom are African-Americans , Latinos and of Asian heritage . Yet, not a damn thing was actually done by the NBA when that litigation took place . It took several other actions on the part of the now disgraced owner before he was penalized and yet that did nothing to stop him from reverting back to his abhorrent behavior .
Too many fans are just dumb apathetic and seeking to excuse Sterling’s actions as that of an individual who has a right of free speech . This country has become a damn disgrace lacking humility and common decency and respect . Yet it feels that everyone else should look up to the US in terms of respect . That is such a complete crock of $hit !
If interested let me know what you think ? Merely click onto the links provided to view and to leave a comment .
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/the-ugly-side-to-sports-is-no-different-from-its-image-in-general-still-goddamn-ugly/
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/06/17/not-so-newsworthy-moments-in-the-world-of-sports-and-then-there-are-some-that-are-worth-contemplating/
http://tophatal.wordpress.com/2014/06/15/back-on-the-plantation-that-was-never-left-americas-poor-history-on-race-within-sports-which-was-never-addressed/
tophatal …………..
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We were reminded yet again that big time sports ain’t the Boy Scouts. Kidd has always been really good at working his angle, at the expense of all others. That said, he got a better gig- for the time being. But I have a sneaking suspicion that Milwaukee’s owner is going to find himself on the wrong end of a bad break up with Kidd before too long as well. In the end, Larry Drew deserved better and Lionel Hollins gets a much deserved second chance in the association. Solid stuff, Fantasy.
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Thanks Cayman. And as far as Kidd getting Marc Lasry pissed in Milwaukee, it’s just a matter of when, not if. Seems to be Kidd’s M.O. throughout his career.
If the Bucks should meander into Brooklyn for a game this upcoming season, I would expect it to be a sellout!!
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Rightly said,dude. Who would’ve thought . . . the Bucks selling out? Anywhere? But yeah, they most definitely will.
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