Bucks officially name Kidd head coach

Jul 1, 2014 - 2:25 PM Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - The Milwaukee Bucks officially named Jason Kidd head coach on Tuesday.

The Bucks acquired Kidd on Monday from his former employer, the Brooklyn Nets, in exchange for two second-round picks in the 2015 and 2019 NBA Drafts.

Terms of his deal with the Bucks were not released, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting, according to a team source, that the deal is for three years and worth between $12 - $15 million.

He was entering the second year of a four-year, $10.5 million deal with the Nets and tensions between Kidd and Nets general manager Billy King escalated when Kidd recently approached ownership asking for more say in personnel decisions.

Kidd replaces Larry Drew, who was fired on Monday. Drew compiled a 15-67 record last season, his fourth as head coach in the NBA. His first three were spent with the Atlanta Hawks.

"When you list the characteristics that make a successful head coach, you would include leadership, communication and a competitive drive," said Bucks general manager John Hammond. "Jason used all of those traits to become a 10- time All-Star player in the NBA, and has now translated his on-court success to the bench. We welcome him to the Bucks organization and look forward to building a Championship-caliber team with him as our head coach."

Kidd, 41, compiled a 44-38 record with Brooklyn last season, his first as a head coach at any level, and was named Eastern Conference coach of the month twice.

The Nets earned the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs and upset the three-seed Toronto Raptors in seven games in the first round before falling to the Miami Heat in the second round.

"Jason is a determined leader, a tough-minded competitor and a great teammate," said Bucks owners Wesley Edens and Marc Lasry. "We believe his focus, vision and intensity will help him work alongside John and David (Morway) to rebuild the Milwaukee Bucks as we aspire to achieve excellence over the next several years. We are excited that Jason will call Milwaukee his new home."

Kidd enjoyed an exceptional 19-year NBA playing career, which included 10 All- Star Game appearances and an NBA Championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. He was named to the All-NBA First Team five times, All-NBA Second Team once, to the NBA's All-Defensive First Team four times and All- Defensive Second Team five times. Kidd also won gold medals with Team USA in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

When Kidd retired in 2013, he ranked second all-time in NBA assists and steals behind John Stockton. His 107 triple-doubles are third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson. He also ranks third on the League's all-time lists in minutes and 3-point field goals, sixth in games played, first among guards in rebounds and 71st in points scored.

The second overall pick of the Dallas Mavericks in the 1994 NBA Draft, Kidd shared Co-Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill. He played in 1,391 regular season games with Dallas, Phoenix, New Jersey and New York. His teams qualified for the postseason 17 times, and he played in 158 playoff games, including three trips to the NBA Finals (2002, 2003 with New Jersey; 2011 with Dallas).

The Nets, meanwhile, have yet to name a new head coach.