Milwaukee Bucks 2016-17 Season Review: Jason Kidd
Moving Forward
At the tale end of last season, Kidd signed a contract extension to remain with the Bucks through the 2019-20 season. The future is very bright in Milwaukee, and Kidd played his part as the Bucks made it to the playoffs this past season, and with that contract in hand it seems likely he’ll have a role to play into the future too.
Still, rumors about Kidd’s future seem inevitable at this point. If it’s not a re-surfacing of rumors that he would like to move to the front office, there could be more internal questions over whether he’s the right man to be the team’s coach.
Kidd has proven in his time in the NBA in various capacities that he understands and is motivated by winning basketball. As Kidd mentors the young core of this Bucks franchise, he’ll need to continue to build on the foundations currently in place, and make vast improvements if the Bucks are ultimately going to be positioned as a contender for years to come.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has arrived as an All-NBA caliber player, Jabari Parker is a lethal scorer when healthy, Khris Middleton is a do-it-all glue guy, and Thon Maker may turn into a defensive stalwart in the middle. The core of the Bucks is there and other players will want to fit into the winning culture that’s being built.
Whether you’re a fan of Kidd’s coaching style or not, the fact remain that Kidd has been at the helm as the Bucks improved from 15 wins just three years ago to 42 wins and a competitive playoff appearance in this past season.
There may well be a debate to be had about the value of process versus results, but it has to be said that despite a young Bucks team and injuries to key players, Kidd finished the season beating out expectations. It may have been a rollercoaster along the way, but Milwaukee’s season certainly finished positive overall.
BTBP Final Grade: B
Next: Milwaukee Bucks 2016-17 Season Review: Khris Middleton
Make sure you stick with us over the coming days as we wrap up the rest of the Bucks’ seasons individually.