The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be without head coach Jason Kidd for an extended period of time.
Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports that Kidd will be out indefinitely following hip surgery due to a deteriorated hip condition. The injury is expected to sideline the former New Jersey Nets point guard until February.
Coach Kidd on why he is having surgery now, Joe Prunty taking over and his return.
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“It’s been chronic for the last three to four years, since I was in Dallas the last time,” Kidd said in an interview with “Bucks TV”, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “The pain has been to the point where I can’t function.
“I’ve taken all the medicine I can do. Talking to the doctors, there’s really no good time to do the surgery. I have to fix myself, and then we move on and get back to work.
Stein reports that assistant coach Joe Prunty, who filled in for Kidd when he was suspended earlier this year, will serve as head coach for the time being.
It’s another road bump on what’s been a bizarre season for the Bucks. After a 26 win improvement under Kidd in his first season, Milwaukee has struggled badly in 2015-16, going 11-18, tied for fifth-worst record in the NBA. The team simply hasn’t gelled. Despite all that, they somehow became the first team to beat the then undefeated Golden State Warriors and nearly beat the Warriors again last week.
The Bucks’ season isn’t lost, as there’s still plenty of basketball left to be played, but struggling this badly out of the gate and losing your head coach doesn’t bode well for the future.
[ESPN]
