Looking back at Jason Kidd’s New York Knicks tenure
As he prepares to enter the Hall of Fame, let’s take a look back at Jason Kidd’s one-year stint with the New York Knicks.
There were many key factors that helped propel the New York Knicks during the 2012-13 season. One of the lightly discussed stars from that team was the veteran presence of 10-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd.
New York acquired the future member of the 2018 Hall of Fame class via free agency during the summer of 2012. He turned down an offer to return to the Dallas Mavericks, surprising many, especially team owner Mark Cuban. Kidd was motivated to mix in with a young roster that included Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert.
The Knicks exceeded many expectations with Kidd on the roster, finishing the 2012-13 season with an impressive 54-28 record. On Feb. 8, 2013, Kidd surpassed the 12,000 career assist mark as a member of the Knicks while leading the team quietly on the court. This tactic was critical as the pressure to be the locker room leader never fell on top of leading scorer Anthony.
Kidd explained as much during a recent interview with NBA.com.
"“A lot of people don’t understand that you can mentally be the strength of the team, and everybody will look at you when things are bad to see how you’re reacting. You don’t have to be fast. You don’t have to touch the rim. But mentally, if you’re strong and people see that, they’re going to be like, ‘We’re all right, because Jason’s not panicking. So why would we panic?'”"
New York entered the playoffs as the 2-seed in the Eastern Conference, featuring the league’s oldest roster with Kidd starting 48 of his 76 played games at shooting guard. Kidd began to struggle shooting and battled injuries throughout the final stretch, as the Knicks were eventually eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in the second round.
Kidd was still under contract for two more seasons but decided to leave the game at 40 years old. He announced his reasons for retiring during an interview on ESPN Radio that summer.
"“I think it is the right time, When you think about 19 years, it has been a heckuva ride. Physically, I want to be able to participate in activities with my kids so it has taken a toll. It is time to move on and think about maybe coaching or doing some broadcasting.My family had been talking this past weekend. We talked a lot and we felt it was the right time to move on and so we notified the Knicks. They were kind of taken aback. We told them [earlier] that I wanted to come back and play. But this weekend was when we got a chance to relax [and really think about it]. It is the right thing to do.”"
Kidd’s final season wasn’t explosive stat-wise, but his intangibles on the team were vital as the Knicks were unable to return to form the following season. It was the best year of the “Carmelo Anthony Era,” further proving Kidd’s extraordinary skill to enhance every teammate’s abilities whether he is on or off the court.
As he heads into the Nasmith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, it should be pointed out his exceptional work done in only one season as a member of the Knicks.
The 50 greatest NBA players of all time. dark. Next
It should be the blueprint for how veteran players can still lead teams well past their physical prime.