Roundtable: Kidd Out, Prunty In (For Now)

Welcome back to the Brew Hoop Round Table, where we ask that everybody use coasters and please don’t feed the pugs from the table, thanks. Today, HOLY CRAP JASON KIDD GOT CANNED.

As is tradition when big news hits, we ask this: where were you when you found out?

Greg: At work, talking to a co-worker wondering if Snap, Crackle, and Pop are related or just three guys that found each other. I saw my phone light up with the alert and have been consumed by this since.

Rachael: I had stepped away from my desk for a few minutes, and my co-worker (who is a Brew Hoop fan — Hey Tim!) told me in the hallway and I didn’t believe him. At all. Even when he said Woj tweeted it. I literally RAN to my desk and saw Woj’s tweet about 5 minutes after it went up. Still can’t believe it.

Mitchell: At home with a chest cold, watching The Sopranos. I was in the middle of the episode “Pine Barrens,” and this was the only thing that could tear me away from Christopher and Paulie romping through the woods.

Kyle: I was just sitting at my desk at work, watching Liverpool lose to the worst team in the Premier League being the model employee every company wants.

Adam: Patiently awaiting the end of a work Monday before prepping for this expected clunker of a game tonight. Suddenly, I knew I would get absolutely no further work done.

Dakota: Sitting on my coach petting my dog and looking through Twitter on my tablet. .I might’ve done a few things around my house that made my dog confused.

With Kidd actually gone, do you expect any changes this season?

Greg: Nah. Maybe they elevate a spot or two in seeding, maybe they plummet. I just hope they stay out of the range that would convey their pick to Phoenix.

Rachael: One change I’m hopeful for is better minute management. I think that’s a change that can happen almost instantly. I really think Prunty will be able to adapt in-games, which is something Kidd continually failed to do.

Mitchell: I could see Joe Prunty changing the defense to match the more successful, more conservative approach that worked well for the team for a short stretch, before Kidd undid the changes for...reasons. This would both help the team’s defensive performance, as well as boost Prunty’s clout as a long-term head coaching candidate.

Kyle: I can see a slight change in terms of rotations and offense but otherwise not much in the short terms.

Adam: I could aee changes in the rotation, coaches generally have their pet guys they like. Schematically I don’t expect many alterations, but hopefully the minutes loads for Giannis and Khris drop some as the season drags on.

Dakota: Probably some changes with how our rotations looks and maybe stick onto one defensive philosophy rather than change it every two or three games.

Which candidates would you want to talk to over the offseason?

Mitchell: I’m very much a Becky Hammon believer, but right now it’s too early for me to know what I think or what I want.

Rachael: I would actually die and go to heaven if the first ever female coach got hired by my favorite team. Besides her — in all honesty — I am too scatterbrained and excited to think straight enough to make an educated suggestion.

Greg: Remember when the front office interviewed Hammon for the Assistant GM spot? Maybe that was also a feeler interview for a future vacancy. Regardless, I feel like the Bucks cannot afford to get cute with their decision and have to knock it out of the park with a proven coach (what up Fizdale).

Adam: David Fizdale will be the obvious choice, Becky Hammon is intriguing although I have little idea of her credentials beyond Spurs asst. (also applies to Prunty by the way). I don’t want to see Jeff Van Gundy personally, as I’m skeptical he can maximize this roster and am unsure how he translates to the modern NBA.

Kyle: Uhhh Messina, Hammon, Stackhouse or Vogel. I feel like a reset in general would be best for the team.

Dakota: Fizdale is probably the most intriguing option in my mind as I still believe in his skills as a coach and I think he got royally screwed by the Grizzlies. Aside from that, I’d absolutely love the Bucks to interview current Raptors 905 head coach Jerry Stackhouse. Dude is a defensive mastermind and does a great job of getting the best out of the players that he has.

Does this worry you, from the team’s perspective?

Greg: What if this sets off a series of events that leads to Giannis leaving Milwaukee, like in that one episode of Community with multiple timelines? What if this is the darkest timeline?

Mitchell: Not funny, Greg. But in all seriousness, the team (particularly ownership) needs to position how this is good for the Bucks and Giannis specifically. Whether or not fans hated Kidd is immaterial when the star of the franchise was still bought in. This thread bears following, but I’m hopeful that it gets sorted with minimal hurt feelings.

Rachael: Honestly, the part about Kidd not knowing yet... I don’t really care about that. Kidd never seemed to care how the comments he made to the media affected the team, so I don’t really feel bad for him. I am, however, sad for Giannis. I do truly believe that he will be happier in the long run. It may hurt now, but it’s for the best.

Adam: Nothing besides handling the potential optics as Mitchell noted, which has not been this ownership group’s forte. Warriors loved Mark Jackson and they moved on. Giannis was best friends with MCW and he’s moved on. I want Giannis to be happy, but he’s also a professional who hates losing more than anyone, ergo I believe Kidd’s firing will ultimately lead to less losing and by extension leas anger for Giannis.

Kyle: it will sting, but I think in time Giannis will accept it and move on. Winning cures all.

Dakota: I definitely think it could hurt as there might be some trust issues between management and players. Giannis should’ve differently been told about this decision rather than having to learn from Twitter like everyone else did.

What will be your lasting memory of Jason Kidd as the Bucks’ head coach?

Greg: His rotations and minute management. The whole sitting Giannis once a month for knee injury prevention, but also playing him 40 minutes a night just never jived with any normal thinking.

Adam: His aversion to basic modern day NBA principles.

Rachael: The extremely condescending (and rude) answers he gave to me and other media members during post-game. That will stick with me the longest.

Mitchell: This, obviously:

Kyle: “Energy and effort.”

Dakota: Energy and effort, starting DeAndre Liggins and Gary Payton II in the backcourt when Brogdon was completely healthy. His indecisiveness in regards to defensive gameplans, bad rotation management and genuine stubbornness for him to learn from his mistakes.

Is Jason Kidd done in the NBA as a coach?

Greg: I feel like he is. Between his time in Brooklyn and the strong anti-Kidd contingent in Milwaukee, he became exposed as a bad media handler, bad schematic mind, and devoid of any personality.

Rachael: As a head coach, yes. Reporters are already noting he doesn’t have the easiest personality to get along with. Besides his inability to succeed here, I honestly feel like he may have cost himself future jobs by how negatively he spoke about his own team, and how often he threw the players under the bus. He refused to ever take accountability, and I can’t see how that will sit well with future teams, front offices, players, etc.

Mitchell: I can’t see how Kidd would be able to come back with a third team as a head coach. Maybe he latches on somewhere as an assistant, but I never got the impression that he was willing to take less than he felt he deserved, so this honestly might be the end of Jason Kidd’s overall participation in the world of the NBA.

Adam: Nah. He will be out of the game for a bit but eventually some owner looking to make a big name, splashy hire will get him and likely be disappointed with the results.

Kyle: I’m sure some team will be desperate enough and look at what he’s done with Giannis and give him a chance.

Dakota: Probably not as he completely failed at building a solid playoff team when he had a viable MVP candidate in Giannis Antetokounmpo.