2021-2022 MAVS NEWS: 4th in West | WCF loss [ARCHIVED]

[fifteenth]

I agree on the what-if stuff. 

Imo, the changes in the coaching staff are the real issue. It's possible that the change of personalities will have a positive effect, as well as the injection of fresh ideas. OTOH, looking at the situation on paper, it's pretty hard to make the case that Kidd is a better coach, or even in the same tier, as Carlisle. 

I don't automatically take a pessimistic attitude on this. But I see how people could view it as not necessarily moving the needle in the right direction. 

Do you have a different view?

My view is that it's impossible to view Kidd as the better coach. This is a Young Coach vs HOF Coach comparison. It's a no-brainer if the discussion is "who is the better coach?" 

However, if the discussion is "who is the better coach for the Mavs going forward?", then I think the answer has to be "wait and see". There are at least some rumblings that Rick and the team (players) both needed a change. There are rumblings that Luka and Rick weren't a great fit. It's possible that Kidd was humbled by his early career coaching failures, that he learned a good bit from Vogel and that he'll be able to correct his mistakes. I'ts possble that Kidd has grown and that he now has some tools that will allow him to use his savant like powers for good, and for the benefit of Luka and the Mavs. 

All of that will have to be answered by the future. Rick is obviosly the better coach, right now, and in a vacuum. My take on whether Kidd will be a good coach this season for the Mavs is "I don't know".