Jason Kidd suspended two games

Jason Kidd won't be on the sideline when the Nets open their season in Cleveland on Oct. 30, and he'll also miss the Nets' home opener against the two-time defending champion Heat on Nov. 1.

As expected, the NBA announced that Kidd has been suspended two games for pleading guilty to driving while impaired, a charge that stemmed from his accident in Water Mill on July 15, 2012.

Kidd will make his regular-season coaching debut Nov. 3 in Orlando.

"I think we all knew that was going to come at some point," Kidd said after practice at Duke University on Friday. "You have to be responsible and the league came down with the suspension and I accept that. And for that, as if a player is out, guys got to step up. My coaching staff is well capable of stepping up for the two games."

Former Nets coach Lawrence Frank is the lead voice on Kidd's staff, serving a variety of roles. It is assumed that he'll step in for Kidd during those two games, although Kidd was noncommital when asked.

"We pretty much knew this was coming," Deron Williams said. "It's pretty mandatory for the NBA to issue a two-game suspension for these types of instances. So it is good. It's good to have coach Frank, somebody who's out here teaching every day. He's coaching. I mean, he is the head coach, and so we're definitely going to be comfortable with him until J can get back."

In July, Kidd pleaded guilty in Southampton Town Justice Court to a misdemeanor drunken driving charge as a result of the 2012 crash. Kidd was placed on probation, and as part of a plea deal, he agreed to speak to high school students about the dangers of driving drunk. Kidd said he's already spoken with kids at Longwood and Southampton.

Kidd's former teammate, former Net Rodney Rodgers, visited practice Friday, something Kidd said helped give him even more perspective. Rodgers is confined to a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down, and needs a ventilator to aid in his breathing as a result of falling off an all-terrain vehicle in 2008.

"It's ironic that one of my teammates comes today [when you talk] about making a decision," Kidd said, "and how life is fragile [and what it] takes just for things to change . . . I haven't seen Rodney in a long time, and so to be able to see him and talk to him, to see his spirit, he's just that type of person where he's not going to let this stop him from being who he is. He's one of my favorite teammates."

Notes & quotes: Williams (ankle) said he's probably not going to play in the preseason opener Tuesday against the Wizards or next Saturday against the Pistons . . . Jason Terry (knee) said he's roughly about a week away from full contact.