The New York Knicks’ head coaching search always felt like it was going to get weird after firing Tom Thibodeau following the franchise’s longest playoff run in 25 years. Whispers about Jay Wright and Jeff Van Gundy never really passed the smell test, and hiring a first-timer like former assistant Johnnie Bryant would require enormous conviction in his ability.
From the moment Thibs was fired, there was speculation that the Knicks could try to hire a head coach who already has a job. New York’s front office has zeroed in on its main target, and now they have to figure out how to land him.
The Knicks want to hire Jason Kidd as their new head coach, according to ESPN insider Brian Windhorst. There’s only one problem: Kidd is already the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The ball is now in Dallas’ court: the Mavs can reject New York’s interest in Kidd by denying him an interview, or it can try to work out a trade with the Knicks that would return assets to Dallas. Here’s Windhorst’s report on the Knicks’ interest in Kidd:
“The Knicks absolutely would like to hire Jason Kidd to be their next head coach,” Windhorst said. “The question is will the Dallas Mavericks allow them.”
Windhorst recalled the Phoenix Suns’ interest in Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups last year. The Blazers rejected the Suns’ interview request, and Billups was eventually given a contract extension in Portland. That’s one way this scenario could play out. If Dallas is fine with letting Kidd leave, though, the two sides would have to work out a trade.
Kidd has been traded as a head coach once before. Back in 2014, the Brooklyn Nets traded Kidd to the Milwaukee Bucks for two second-round draft picks. Kidd became Giannis Antetokounmpo’s head coach ahead of his second NBA season, and quickly enacted a plan to put the ball in his hands and use him as a point-forward. Of course, the Bucks didn’t really take off as a contender until they replaced Kidd with Mike Budenholzer, and added veterans like Brook Lopez in free agency and Jrue Holiday via trade.
Does Kidd want to leave Dallas? The Mavs own the No. 1 pick in the draft and are about to select Cooper Flagg out of Duke, a generational prospect who could eventually become one of the best players in the league. Of course, Flagg is still only 18 years old and is years away from his ceiling. The Mavs also have Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on the roster, but Irving will likely miss all of next season with a torn ACL. It’s hard to imagine the Mavs competing in a loaded Western Conference without Irving in Flagg’s rookie season.
This could all come back to how Kidd felt about the Luka Doncic trade. Kidd has done his best to escape responsibility for the decision, but GM Nico Harrison probably relied on him when evaluating his Slovenian superstar. If he were to join the Knicks, Kidd immediately has a team ready to compete for an NBA Finals berth in the East, but there would also be massive pressure to win right away.
The Knicks want Kidd. Does Kidd want the Knicks? If so, would Dallas really block him from taking the job? New York is all-in on its championship window, and it needs to nail this coaching hire. If Leon Rose and co. have it their way, Kidd will be the Knicks’ next head coach.
