Larry Bird Speaks About Jason Kidd's New Job "It's tough, it's grinding…"

Larry Bird talked to reporters yesterday after his Indiana Pacers team played their second summer league game.

Bird was asked numerous questions about the Brooklyn Nets new head coach Jason Kidd and he kindly answered them all.

Bird laughed when initially asked if Kidd would have growing pains in his new gig.

[quote_simple]“It’s not as easy as it looks, to tell you the truth,” Bird said. “I have even more respect for the coaches I had over the years.”

“He’s always been a coach on the floor, but when you sit in that one seat, it’s a little bit different.”

“It’s a tough gig. It’s a lot of hours. It’s tough, it’s grinding … it was easier when you had the ball in your hands, and he’ll figure that out.”

“Preparation is everything,” Bird said. “I was very fortunate in that I had Harter and Carlisle, and that worked out perfectly for me. Rick ended up being one of [the NBA’s] best coaches, and Dick Harter is one of the best defensive minds I’ve ever been around, so the transition was pretty easy.

“You have a game plan, you go in there and talk about it, and you let them guys help you. You can’t walk in there thinking you know it all, because you don’t. I just was very fortunate to have two great guys, because it made the transition very easy for me.”

“The one thing I did, I sort of just managed the team,” Bird said. I tried to put out all of the little fires in the locker room, tried to keep everybody as happy as you possibly can. You can’t really do it all the time, but you really have to manage the team.”[/quote_simple]

The questions turned to his former team, the Boston Celtics, and what he thought about the two veterans that are being traded to the Nets in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett.

[quote_simple]“I think they’ve both been pretty healthy throughout their careers,” Bird said. “They haven’t had the major, major injuries that I had. I think they got plenty left. The way they will be coached and the bench that they have — yeah — they’ll pick their spots. But when the time comes, they’ll be there.”

“I got a lot of respect for Paul and what he has accomplished,” Bird said. “But who says he’s not going to play another four years? It’s a tough situation.”[/quote_simple]

Quotes via NY Newsday – ESPN NY – NY Daily News – NY Post