Kidd feels for Nash, who is no longer coach of the Nets

The close friendship between Jason Kidd and Steve Nash goes back to 1996 when Nash was a rookie point guard with the Phoenix Suns and backing up the team’s star point guard – Kidd.

From that point on, the friendship between Jason Kidd and Steve Nash blossomed to a level where their careers started mirroring one another.

Over the balance of their stellar NBA careers, Kidd and Nash became so phenomenal at their craft that they both were inducted into the Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame on the same day on Sept. 7, 2018. That’s why when Kidd learn that Nash and the Brooklyn Nets agreed to part ways Tuesday and that Nash will no longer be the team’s head coach, it didn’t sit well with the Dallas Mavericks’ head coach.

“It’s unfortunate,” Kidd said. “Steve’s a good person (and) a good coach.

“But I think as a coach those are things that come with the territory of you having to understand things can change.”

Things certainly changed rapidly for Nash and the Nets, who snapped a four-game losing streak Monday with a 116-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers. But less than 24 hours later, Brooklyn was searching for a new head coach as they ended a tumultuous period under Nash’s stewardship.

“They’ll figure it out,” Kidd said. “It’s not the first time a coach has been fired and it won’t be the last time.”

Nash, who played for the Mavs from 1998-2004, was in his third season coaching the Nets. And this was his first time working as a head coach on any level.

However, even with superstars such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden at Nash’s disposal, the Nets never came close to reaching their full potential.

Also, with the coaching fraternity being a membership of just 30, any fracture in that close-knit bond becomes somewhat personal for those members.

“It’s tough, especially with Steve being a young coach,” Kidd said. “Given a time frame, you always hope that it’s a little longer than what took place.

“But I think he’ll bounce back from it, he’ll learn from it and he’ll be even better if he has that second opportunity to coach again. You can be disappointed, but I think as a coach in any league there’s always the small writing that you can be dismissed. That’s just part of the gig.”

The Nets, who were beaten at home last Thursday by the Mavs – 129-125 in overtime – have been woefully disappointing under Nash. So much so that Durant reportedly asked management to replace general manager Sean Marks and Nash this past summer.

“I reached out and just told (Nash) to hang in there,” Kidd said, recalling a conversation he had with Nash way before Tuesday’s announcement. “It’s about X’s and O’s and being able to put your guys in position to be successful.

“A lot of coaches go through that. Sometimes it’s private. Theirs was a little public, so it’s a little different, but it happens.”

The Nets were bounced in seven games by the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, and last season they were swept by the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs. Kidd, who also broke into coaching with the Nets – in 2013 – believes Nash will be a much more productive coach whenever he gets another opportunity.

“He’s a great person, so I don’t know how much better he can become as a person,” Kidd said. “But as a coach he’ll learn from this and he’ll be better the next time around.

“You talk about his IQ, he’s a champion. He understands what it means to be the best at his position, he understands how to play the game at a high level. Sometimes things just don’t work out, and it just didn’t work out in Brooklyn. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad coach. I think he’ll get another opportunity to show that he can coach in this league.”

Twitter: @DwainPrice