“Underrated Leadership: The Case Against Ranking Jason Kidd 18th Among NBA Coaches”
After reaching the NBA Finals last June, the Dallas Mavericks are gearing up for the 2024-25 NBA season in no time. Shortly after their Finals loss, the Mavericks executed a highly successful offseason roster overhaul, highlighted by the signing of Klay Thompson, arguably the biggest free-agent acquisition in the team’s history.
This achievement was largely due to Dallas rebuilding its reputation over recent seasons, moving away from the mediocrity that characterized Dirk Nowitzki’s final years. The transformation also hinged on the hiring of Jason Kidd as head coach ahead of the 2021-22 season. Kidd has reshaped the image of the franchise and revived his own coaching career, leading Dallas to two Western Conference Finals appearances in the past three years.
However, some still question Kidd’s credentials as a head coach. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn recently ranked him as the 18th-best coach in the league, citing Kidd’s struggles with lineup adjustments during his stints with Brooklyn and Milwaukee. While Quinn acknowledged Kidd’s success in Dallas, including the deep playoff runs, his overall evaluation seemed to downplay Kidd’s progress in game management and postseason performance.
Though Kidd may not be the best coach in the league based on his career as a whole, ranking him 18th after taking Dallas to the NBA Finals seems disrespectful. For comparison, Quinn ranked Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla 11th, even though Mazzulla has only one season under his belt, albeit with an NBA title.
Kidd’s player-friendly approach, a result of his own successful career, has played a part in attracting stars like Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson to Dallas. While there’s room for improvement, particularly with his rotation management, placing him that low in the rankings is excessive. If the Mavericks falter next season despite their deep roster, Quinn’s ranking might hold more weight. However, Kidd has shown steady growth during his tenure in Dallas, suggesting he’ll continue to improve as a coach next season.