Jason Kidd withdraws from Blazers head coaching search

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Jason Kidd has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Trail Blazers head coaching vacancy.

Damian Lillard previously told Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes that Kidd was his preference to replace Terry Stotts as Blazers coach, saying “Jason Kidd is the guy I want.”

Kidd apparently was not comfortable with that move from Lillard, via Haynes.  Kidd told Woj:

Kidd was ultimately uncomfortable with the idea of pursuing the opening after Blazers star Damian Lillard publicly called for his hiring within hours of Stotts’ departure on Friday night. The public nature of Lillard’s endorsement — telling Yahoo Sports that “Jason Kidd is the guy I want” — left Kidd feeling he would put both Lillard and Portland’s process in an awkward circumstance should he pursue the opening.

Kidd also said: “Portland’s a first-class organization and will have great candidates for its head coaching job, but I’ve decided not to be one of them,” Kidd told ESPN. “Whoever they choose will have big shoes to fill from Terry [Stotts].”

 

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Woj reports the Blazers have yet to officially request permission to talk with any potential candidates.  That search will likely commence after the conclusion of the first round of the NBA Playoffs on Sunday.

LA Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, former Knicks and Rockets head coach and ESPN broadcaster Jeff Van Gundy, and Michigan head coach and former Blazer Juwan Howard are all possible candidates for the position, per Woj.

More to come.

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