Lakers assistant and former NBA point guard Jason Kidd appears to be gaining traction as a potential coaching candidate with the Magic, per Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
Kidd recently removed his name from the running with the Trail Blazers after receiving a endorsement from star guard Damian Lillard, but it is believed Kidd remains open to other opportunities.
The Magic are undergoing a rebuild and may turn to a coach with experience after mutually parting ways with Steve Clifford after the season. Kidd has previously coached the Nets and Bucks, and as Fischer wrote, “connection to Magic general manager John Hammond, who hired Kidd to coach Milwaukee back in 2014.”
That said, former Nets coach Kenny Atkinson remains the frontrunner for the Magic vacancy, Fischer noted. Atkinson is currently an assistant with the Clippers and was first linked to the job by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Kidd, 48, has compiled a 183-190 coaching record in five seasons overall.
Meawhile, Atkinson coached the Nets from 2016-20, compiling a 118-190 record and leading them to the playoffs in 2019. He was fired just before the season was paused because of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020. Along with the Clippers, he has been an assistant with the Knicks and Hawks.
“Obviously, we’ve repositioned our team,” Weltman told reporters. “And so, there has to be alignment. There has to be alignment in everything you do in this league. And if there’s not alignment, it’ll undermine everything.”
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