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The New York Knicks' interest in Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has been among the most interesting storylines to follow in the NBA, aside from the ongoing Finals, but it might not be much of a story anyway.
Kidd is under contract with the Mavericks and will be for the next two seasons, leaving the Knicks without much recourse to poach the former superstar point guard. Additionally, the Mavericks are expected to reject any attempt by the Knicks to interview Kidd this offseason.
Still, there have been rumors that Kidd, who sidestepped responsibility or knowledge of the Luka Doncic trade that became the talk of the sports world in February, is interested in getting out of Dallas. But NBA insider Marc Stein, who has long covered the Mavericks, is not buying that Kidd is “secretly angling” to become the Knicks' next head coach.
“He is particularly close to Mavericks stars Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. He and his family are very settled in Dallas,” Stein wrote on ‘The Stein Line' Substack. “And, as covered in last Friday's piece, Kidd has been operating as the Mavericks' spokesman on All Things Flagg since they won the draft lottery on May 12 … expressing his excitement about getting the chance to coach Flagg in recent interview appearances on The Dan Patrick Show, our DLLS Mavs podcast for the ALLCITY Network and two other outlets in recent weeks.
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“But there probably isn't a coach on the NBA map — employed or otherwise — who would discourage interest from the free-spending Knicks. That's the same franchise, remember, which just fired Thibodeau with $30 million left on his contract.”
Kidd has been the head coach of the Mavericks since 2021, and he previously played for the organization from 1994 to 1996 and from 2008 to 2012, winning the franchise's only championship in 2011 alongside Dirk Nowitzki.
Kidd, however, is familiar with the Tri-State area, too. He played seven seasons with the New Jersey Nets and finished his career with the Knicks in 2013. Then, he began his coaching career in Brooklyn, where he coached the Nets for a season.
If the Knicks cannot land Kidd, there would not appear to be an obvious frontrunner to succeed Thibodeau.
