The Los Angeles Lakers will reportedly not pursue Jason Kidd if they decide to fire head coach Luke Walton after this season ends, according to ESPN's Stephen A. Smith.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Sunday Kidd will be among the serious candidates for the Lakers coaching job if Walton is fired.
Smith, however, is reporting that won't be the case.
“I’ve been told there’s no way they’re really considering Jason Kidd,” Smith said on ESPN's First Take. “He’s not on their list. Now, that’s what I’m hearing. But I also want to emphasize I’m not covering the NBA like that. As much as I cover these games or what have you, I’m not on the phones with these executives every single day as intimately as the great Adrian Wojnarowski is. So, I’m certainly not trying to cast any aspersions on any of his reporting. Listen to this man, because he’s usually right on the money. He’s my friend. I respect the hell out of him.
“But in this particular story, the Lakers are saying, no, we’re not interested in Jason Kidd. And they want to make sure that that’s clear. I don’t know why, but they wanted to make sure that that was clear.”
The Lakers are widely expected to fire Luke Walton after the season ends.
In the first year of the LeBron James era, the Purple and Gold will miss the playoffs. Walton signed a multiyear contract with the Lakers back in 2016.
Jason Kidd coached the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks after his Hall of Fame playing career ended. He has a coaching mark of 183-190.
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