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The New York Knicks recently fired head coach Tom Thibodeau. The move was surprising as Thibodeau coached the big-market team for five years and led them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2025. Nevertheless, speculation has already surfaced around who the Knicks' next head coach will be. Coaches without jobs such as Michael Malone have been mentioned for the position, but could the Knicks pursue a coach who is currently employed by an NBA team such as Jason Kidd of the Dallas Mavericks?
Kidd, who has led the Mavs to the Western Conference Finals twice since taking over the head coaching position in Dallas, signed a multi-year contract extension with the team in 2024. The move seemingly suggested that Kidd would remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future.
The Knicks are rumored to have interest in Kidd, though. If New York is serious about bringing in the Mavs head coach, perhaps a trade offer can be made.
Coaches can be traded in the NBA, but it would be fairly complicated.
Details of possible Knicks-Mavericks Jason Kidd head coach trade
Head coaches have indeed been traded in the past. For example, the Boston Celtics traded Doc Rivers to the Los Angeles Clippers for a first round pick in 2013. Stan Van Gundy took over head coaching duties for the Orlando Magic in 2007, and Van Gundy's former team, the Miami Heat, received a second round pick in return. In 2014, Kidd himself was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks for two second round picks.
The Rivers deal could provide the blueprint for a possible Knicks-Mavercks trade. Rivers still had three years on his contract with the Celtics but ended up signing a new three-year deal with the Clippers following the trade.
Players can't be traded in coach-led deals, though, so don't expect the Mavs to acquire someone like Karl-Anthony Towns for Jason Kidd. If a deal were to come to fruition, the Knicks would likely send the Mavericks a first or second round pick. Since Kidd still has a couple of years left on his contract, Dallas would probably desire a first round pick.
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Will the Mavs consider trading Kidd?
In all reality, Dallas probably won't part ways with Jason Kidd. There has already been no shortage of change in Dallas over the past year with the Mavs trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first round pick in February.
Dallas is turning to a new core of players. The team is hopeful that Kidd can lead the way as Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving (once he returns from injury) prepare for the future. The possibility of selecting Cooper Flagg — as the Mavericks won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery — provides an extra layer of excitement.
Moving on from Kidd would add yet another transition to be made for a franchise that is still recovering from losing Doncic to the Lakers. One has to imagine that Dallas will keep Kidd for at least one more season before seriously considering a new direction at the head coaching position.
With that being said, Doncic wasn't expected to be traded and the Mavs made that decision. Anything can happen. If general manager Nico Harrison wants to make another change, then perhaps a deal will be discussed. However, Harrison seems to respect and trust Kidd, so a trade still appears to be unlikely.
