Jason Kidd says an opportunity to coach the Los Angeles Lakers is one “you can’t turn” down.
With Luke Walton expected to lose his job this summer, Kidd will reportedly be “among the serious candidates” for the gig.
The 46-year-old Hall of Famer wants to get back into coaching “at any level.”
Per ESPN:
“I think Cal is a great institution. We’ll see what happens,” Kidd said Monday on The Jump. “Right now, it’s nice to be wanted. And it just tells me I’m doing the right thing. And I think the year off helps clean up some things, too, just to refocus and have that energy.”
Kidd said he would be patient in the process and said he thought Walton had done an “incredible job” considering the Lakers’ injuries and other distractions.
“We’ll wait until the season’s over to see what opportunities come about,” he said, “and, hopefully, there’s one that fits.” Kidd described the Lakers franchise as one of the best in the world.
“Not just in the NBA, but the world,” he said. “And so if you ever have the opportunity to wear the purple and gold, you can’t turn that down. As a coach, as a player, because they’re all about championships, and so they have a process. They have a young team. And then LeBron (James) comes and kind of sped up things. And so he wants to win now. But I think, again, it takes time.”
