The Bucks and Nets agreed to a deal allowing Jason Kidd to become Milwaukee’s coach, the Bucks then paving the way by firing coach Larry Drew later Monday.
Brooklyn will receive a second-round draft pick in 2015 that was formerly their own, and another in 2019 belonging to Milwaukee or Sacramento.
The Nets said in a statement that they will begin a coaching search immediately.
Drew went 15-67 in his only season in Milwaukee, but there had been no indication he wouldn’t be back before the Kidd situation emerged.
‘‘Despite the challenging season, Larry always handled himself and represented the Bucks in a first-class manner,’’ Bucks GM John Hammond said in a statement. ‘‘Larry did the best he could in a difficult situation, especially given all of our injuries. I want to thank Larry for all of his efforts, and we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.’’
Kidd went 44-38 in his only season as the Nets’ coach, but then sought control of the basketball operations department and was denied. The Nets gave him permission to talk to other teams about a job.
It was a stunningly quick ending to what had been Kidd’s celebrated return to the franchise he twice led to the NBA Finals as a player.
The Nets hired him last June as coach just weeks after he retired as a player, and then retired his No. 5 before a preseason game in October. Also, he bought a small portion of the team.
Last Thursday, when he appeared at a press conference at which the Nets announced plans for their new practice facility, there was no indication he wouldn’t be back.
Milwaukee had the NBA’s worst record last season at 15-67, but there had been nothing to believe Drew wouldn’t return. However, the Bucks have new co-owners in Marc Lasry and Wes Edens, and Lasry and Kidd are friends.
The Nets could choose from a number of quality coaches who are available, including Lionel Hollins, George Karl, and Mark Jackson.
The Nets bypassed experience when they chose Kidd last summer, and the results were ugly early. Kidd removed Lawrence Frank from the bench after lobbying for the Nets to hire his former coach as his lead assistant. Kidd was fined $50,000 by the NBA after intentionally spilling a drink on the court to delay a game.
Kidd departs Brooklyn now with free agency opening Tuesday and key Nets Paul Pierce and Shaun Livingston set to hit the market.
Kidd led the Nets to the 2002 and ‘03 NBA Finals and remained a fan favorite even after he became unhappy with the team and was traded to Dallas in 2008. But as much as ownership may have liked him, it wasn’t interested in positioning Kidd above general manager Billy King and giving him the power he sought.
The Nets started 10-21 with a high-priced, high-expectations team, though regrouped to reach the second round of the playoffs. Kidd engineered a turnaround with a small-ball lineup after center Brook Lopez was lost to a broken foot.
The Bucks’ new ownership group had given no indication that Drew or general manager John Hammond might be in trouble after the franchise’s worst season. Hammond spearheaded the draft evaluation process that landed Milwaukee a potential superstar in Duke forward Jabari Parker with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Trust key to Clippers
The $2 billion sale of the Clippers will hinge on the technicalities of family trust law and whether Donald Sterling’s estranged wife had the right to unilaterally negotiate a deal with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The July 7 trial will look at the trust’s terms alone and not focus on whether the 80-year-old Sterling is mentally incapacitated, Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas said.
Attorneys will argue about whether Shelly Sterling properly followed the terms of the trust in declaring Donald Sterling to be mentally incapacitated. Shelly Sterling struck a deal to sell the team to Ballmer in May after Donald Sterling’s racist remarks to a girlfriend were publicized and the NBA moved to oust him.
She had two doctors examine her husband and they declared that he was mentally incapacitated and unable to act as an administrator of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers. The terms of the trust say incapacitation can be determined by two licensed doctors without ties to the family who are specialists in their field.
In court filings, Donald Sterling’s attorneys argued that he submitted to medical examination under false pretenses, and that the examination and letters regarding his mental capacity were defective and incomplete.
The judge said another issue likely to be front and center during the trial is what happens to a deal that hasn’t been closed when a trust is revoked; Donald Sterling revoked the trust on June 9.
Magic cut Nelson
The Magic’s final link to their old regime is now gone.
The Magic waived Jameer Nelson, parting ways with their longest-tenured player in a move to save valuable salary-cap space. Nelson’s departure comes just weeks before the team would have owed him $8 million for the final year of a three-year contract.
The Magic also waived second-year guard Doron Lamb, who played 53 games last season and averaged 3.6 points in 13.1 minutes per game.
But by waiving him before July 16, Orlando owes the 32-year-old point guard only $2 million in guaranteed money.
In a statement released by the team, Nelson thanked the Magic management and ownership, adding that he'd miss the fans that embraced him and ‘‘made it easy for us to adopt Orlando as our second home.’’
‘‘I appreciate the opportunity the Orlando Magic has afforded me and my family over the past 10 years,’’ Nelson said. ‘‘All good things must come to an end, however, and it’s time to move on. I look forward to continuing my career as an NBA player and will never take for granted my time in Orlando.’’
Nelson was selected by Denver 20th overall in the first round of the 2004 draft, but was acquired by Orlando in exchange for a future first-round pick on draft night. Listed at 6 feet, he was undersized on most nights but played in 651 regular season games in Orlando with 556 starts, averaging 12.6 points and 5.4 assists, and posting one All-Star season (2009).
He also was a stalwart on the Magic teams that made the 2009 Finals and 2010 Eastern Conference finals. Nelson was the final roster link to both of those teams, with most of the other players now long gone.
He leaves as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists with 3,501. He ranks second in games played (651) and field goals attempted (7,033), and third in minutes played (19,038).
Billups goes free
The Pistons say they won’t pick up the option on 37-year-old guard Chauncey Billups’s contract for the 2014-15 season . . . The Grizzlies have opted against making a qualifying offer to Ed Davis, allowing the 25-year-old forward to become an unrestricted free agent . . . Recent Harvard graduate Kyle Casey will play for the Nets in the Orlando Summer League. Casey, a 6-foot-7-inch forward and a four-time All-Ivy selection, finished as one of four Crimson to record 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, and 100 blocks.
Rose the key to Bulls
How the Bulls do in free agency depends in large part on the health of former MVP Derrick Rose.
The Bulls made the playoffs with 48 wins despite losing Rose to another knee injury early last season, wiping out whatever chance they had at knocking off Miami in the East. But the Heat are looking vulnerable these days after getting hammered by San Antonio in the finals.
LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade all opted out of their contracts, but even if the Big Three remain united, Miami’s grip on the conference appears to have loosened.
The Bulls have the flexibility to make a major move. But they also have a big question mark hovering given Rose’s recent injuries.
‘‘From a physical standpoint, he’s doing terrific,’’ general manager Gar Forman said. ‘‘He’s playing five-on-five. He hasn’t skipped any steps and there’s been progress the whole way. He looks ready to go.’’
The Bulls remain hopeful that Rose will train with the US national team this summer in preparation for the World Cup of Basketball in Spain. Rose’s participation came into question Sunday when he told Yahoo Sports he’s not certain if he will be ready.
‘‘It’s not anything different than what we've said all along,’’ coach Tom Thibodeau said. ‘‘If he’s ready to go, he’s going. That’s what he’s told me. That’s what he’s told USA Basketball. But it’s a step-by-step process. He’s coming along fine.
“The next step is to participate in summer league. If that goes well, he goes to USA. And if that goes well, he'll play in those games. That’s the way we’re approaching it.’’
Various ailments have limited Rose to just 49 games the past three years.
Timberwolves drop two
The Timberwolves declined to extend qualifying offers to forward Robbie Hummel and guard Othyus Jeffers, making them unrestricted free agents.
The 6-8 Hummel played in 53 games last season. The 2012 second-round draft pick averaged 3.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 12.4 minutes per game.
The 6-5 Jeffers played in two games in April after signing with the team for the final week.
Forward Dante Cunningham is the only other unrestricted free agent the Timberwolves have this summer. They have 12 players under contract, plus two draft picks.