The Milwaukee Bucks and coach Jason Kidd are going for three.
The sides are close to reaching agreement on a three-year contract extension, three people with direct knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity Monday because the deal was not final. It is expected to be announced in the next few days. Yahoo! Sports first reported the extension talks.
Kidd is entering the last year of a three-year deal with Milwaukee initially signed in 2014. He is 74-90 over his first two seasons in Milwaukee, including a 41-win season and playoff appearance in 2014-15.
Kidd also coached in Brooklyn for one season, guiding the Nets to a 44-38 record and a playoff appearance in 2013-14.
Bucks co-owner Wes Edens has said that the team does not talk about contracts while in season.
“I won’t bring that up. If that comes up some time this summer, then we’ll address it,” Kidd said before Milwaukee’s season finale in April. “The nice thing about this whole situation is we are going in the right direction and these younger players have gotten better.”
The Bucks did take a step back with a 33-49 record. The team has the 10th pick in the NBA draft next week.
But there is hope for the future, starting with young core forwards Jabari Parker and Giannis Antetokounmpo. In particular, the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo flourished under Kidd after the All-Star break as the primary ball-handler.
Guard Khris Middleton has also developed into an all-around player and crunch-time shooter.
The Bucks plan to open a new downtown arena in 2018, in time for the second season of the potential three-year extension with Kidd.
