Rick Carlisle: Jason Kidd should call Larry Bird

Jason Kidd says his phone bill is going to be enormous, that he's been burning up the lines (cell towers?) making pitches, getting advice, etc.

Rick Carlisle, who coached Kidd on the Mavs championship run two years ago, says that Kidd really needs to call Larry Bird most of all.

"I think one of the things that he’s going to do, and I’ve talked to [Kidd] about this, is talk to Larry Bird about it, because Larry Bird did this, too," Carlisle told Dwaine Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "[Bird] didn’t do it nine days after retiring — he did it a few years afterwards.

"But [Bird] went into the job of an NBA head coach without any coaching experience. And so Jason will talk to him and I think he’ll get some good insights on it."

Price also spoke with Spud Webb, who runs basketball operations for the Mavs' D-League team, the Texas Legends. Webb said the transition is likely to be tough.

"It’s got to be a tough transition because now you’ve got to deal with 12-15 [player] egos, habits and everything else," said Webb. "It’s got to be the worst transition you can make because you’re not dealing with basketball all the time — you’re almost a psychiatrist."

Webb also said the team should keep tabs on the relationship between Kidd and Deron Williams to make sure that it doesn't interfere with coaching the rest of the team. "It could be good, too."

• Rick Carlisle wants Jason Kidd to talk with Larry Bird - Dwain Price - Fort Worth Star-Telegram