Jason Kidd wants to help develop Josh Green, others on Mavericks
On Thursday, Hall of Famer Jason Kidd was introduced as head coach of the Dallas Mavericks during a press conference alongside team governor Mark Cuban and new general manager Nico Harrison.
Kidd, who most recently served as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, will embark on his third head coaching position after previously leading the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets. He has amassed a 139-152 record in five seasons with three playoff appearances.
He takes over a roster led by All-NBA forward Luka Doncic with several other up-and-coming players. He believes player development is a big component of the Mavericks taking the step to the next level, and singled out Josh Green as one player that he wants to work with.
We feel like if we get the right guys on the coaching staff that have developed before we have done it at a very high level. … We feel that, with a little hard work and some fun, we can get a Josh Green to the next level; that’s why we’re here. We’re here to help develop. It’ll be fun but, everybody has to do their part and it starts with hard work.
Green played sparingly with the Mavericks as a rookie this season, averaging just 2.6 points and two rebounds in 39 appearances. He even had a stint in the NBA G League with the Salt Lake City Stars, in which he averaged 13.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in six games.
The Mavericks, as a team positioned to make a deep playoff, simply didn’t have enough minutes for Green. With Kidd now taking over, Green could have a chance to further develop and become a regular contributor in the rotation next season.
This summer is shaping up to be a big one for Green, too.
He was among the players named to Australia’s final, 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics. He has been practicing and scrimmaging this summer and will have additional opportunities to grow and develop with his country in the coming weeks.
The experience gained by playing with Australia will certainly help him as he continues to prepare for his second season with the Mavericks. Australia boasts several NBA players and that should prove to be a great opportunity for Green to learn on and off the court.
Australia tips off its Olympic run on July 25 vs. Nigeria.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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