Dallas Mavericks head coach and longtime friend of former Brooklyn Nets play-caller Steve Nash commented on the repercussions of the franchise's decision to fire the Hall-of- Fame point guard. 

Credit: AP Photo/Elise Amendola
Credit AP Photo/Elise Amendola

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

From that point on, the friendship between the two blossomed to a level where their game’s started mirroring one another. 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 September 7, 2018.

That's why when Kidd learned that Nash and the Brooklyn Nets agreed to part ways, the Dallas Mavericks' head coach didn't refrain from commenting on the issue. 

"It’s unfortunate," Kidd said. "Steve’s a good person and a good coach. But I think as a coach those are things that comes with the territory of you having to understand things can change," he added.

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 guidance.

"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 was just in his third season coaching the Nets, and this was his first time working as a head coach. 

"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."

3-pointers this season

33%
10,9
Points made: 10,9
Accuracy: 33,3%
Place in standings: 23
Record max: 14
Record min: 7
Most made 3FGs: Kyrie Irving

The Nets, who were beaten at home last Thursday by the Mavs (129-125 in overtime), had a tumultuous summer, whereby Kevin Durant reportedly asked management to replace general manager Sean Marks and Nash.

"I reached out and just told (Nash) to hang in there," Kidd said, recalling a conversation he had with the sacked coach way before he was let go.

"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."

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," Kidd concluded.

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