Jason Kidd, once supposed to be a leading Brooklyn Net, will now coach the team

Some seven years ago, state Sen. Martin Golden, a fervent Atlantic Yards booster, enthused, “It is the chance of a lifetime to have stars such as Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson and all the others have their home court based in Brooklyn. I am proud to have championed these efforts for the future of Kings County."

Well, all three got traded as team owner Bruce Ratner tried to save money. Future Hall of Famer Kidd, probably the greatest New Jersey Net ever, spent his last season with the New York Knicks.

Point guard Kidd just retired and soon sought the open Nets coaching job. With no chance for the Nets to hire veteran celebrity coaches like Phil Jackson and Doc rivers, Kidd was hired yesterday on a three-year deal.

The news filled the back cover of the Daily News--sponsor of the Barclays Center plaza--and made the back of the Post.

Press conference today

Kidd's Barclays Center press conference will be live-streamed at 2 pm today on BrooklynNets.com.

"Welcome home, Jason," declared majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Of course "home" means the Nets franchise. Not Brooklyn. They're happy to conflate the two, of course.

Multiple reasons

Kidd clearly has great court leadership skills as a player. Most observers think it's a good gamble--but hardly a slam dunk--that Kidd's skills and desire can translate into coaching, and he can wring more out a talented team that lost in the first round of the playoffs.

But Prokhorov, after the Nets' first season buzz declines, surely likes the idea of gaining a celebrity coach who has many upsides. One thing to watch for, of course, is King's record of off-the-court issues, including a DUI arrest last year and a past history of spousal abuse accusations.

The most important thing, of course, is winning. The Nets canned two coaches last year. That's why Ken Berger of CBS Sports warned, "Rent, don't buy."