LeBron James Might Play Spoilsport for New York Knicks’ Plans: Reports

The Los Angeles Lakers are large favorites to lift the title this year. Under the guidance of LeBron James, the Lakers are ready to roar out onto the court when the regular-season resumes. A large part of the Lakers’ success this year can be attributed to their major revamp of the team. 

After a disappointing run in the 2018-19 season, the Lakers made huge changes to their roster as well as the coaching staff. The trade of Anthony Davis is the biggest factor that has overturned the woes of the Lakers into fortunes. AD has been a towering factor in the team’s success. 

Moreover, the Lakers hired Frank Vogel to be the head coach and Jason Kidd as an assistant coach, following the 2019 NBA season. Thus, all these factors can be attributed to the Lakers’ success in the league. 

But over the past few weeks, Jason Kidd has been linked with a move away from the Lakers to a huge position. There are so many reports that suggest that 47-year-old Kidd is the frontrunner of the New York Knicks coaching job. If he lands the job, will he leave the Lakers? 

LeBron James will not be a happy man if the Knicks poach Kidd

The Knicks had earlier interviewed Kidd for the head-coach position. The 2011 NBA champion has previously coached the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks to gain a reputation in that area. 

Kidd’s longest tenure as head-coach came when he spent four years with the Milwaukee Bucks, grooming Giannis Antetokounmpo and developing a good relationship with him. But now, according to Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson of Heavy, LeBron James does not want Kidd to leave Los Angeles. 

LeBron James wanting Kidd to stay reflects the level of comfort that he enjoys while working with the former Mavs player. Why does the king want Kidd to pledge loyalty to the Lakers, at least for the time being? It is about the loads of experience that Kidd brings to the table. Besides being a ten-time All-Star as a player, Kidd has made it to five All-NBA teams in his legendary career. 

Moreover, Kidd has certainly cemented his status as a worthy assistant coach to the Lakers. Phil Handy, another Lakers’ assistant coach, had this to say about Kidd:

“He’s got a unique mindset approaching the game and how he looks at the game from a player’s side and a coach’s side,” Handy said on the Scoop B Radio podcast.

“So, being able to see and listen and learn how he thinks and see the game, that’s been big for me because I’m always trying to grow and learn and you know, continue to see how other people view the game and their strategies. So, just his mindset man, that has been really big for me; how he approaches the game from a player’s standpoint and a coach’s standpoint.”

SOURCE: LeBron James Wants Coveted Lakers Assistant to Stay  [AUDIO] Scoop B Radio Overtime f/Phil Handy [Asst. Coach LA Lakers] (2020)