The New York Knicks stunned the NBA when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after he led them all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals this season. Now, the Knicks are looking for a new leader, and one name they are reportedly interested in is Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. However, it doesn’t sound like Dallas has any intention of letting him leave for New York.
Kidd took over as the Mavericks head coach back in 2021, and he has led the team on a pair of deep playoff runs, the latter of which resulted in a 2024 NBA Finals appearance. While the 2024-25 season was a struggle for Dallas, it wasn’t because of Kidd, and considering how he signed a contract extension just last year, they are expected to refuse to allow the Knicks to speak to their star head coach if they make a formal request.
“Dallas, though, can simply refuse to grant the Knicks permission to speak with Kidd once formally asked and I’ve heard from a few well-placed observers this week who believe that the Mavericks would ultimately do just that,” Marc Stein reported. “Kidd is under contract for two more seasons after the Mavericks responded in May 2024 to the Lakers’ planned pursuit of Kidd for their coaching vacancy by immediately signing him to an extension after the first round of the playoffs.”
Mavericks unlikely to let Jason Kidd bolt for the Knicks
Kidd isn’t the only head coach across the NBA the Knicks have shown interest in, as they have also reportedly considered requesting to speak to Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets. Similar to Kidd, though, Udoka is building a strong team in Houston, and it seems unlikely that the franchise would allow him to even talk to New York.
As a result, it looks like the Knicks are going to have to pivot, as it does not seem like Kidd will be up for grabs. Crazier things have happened in the NBA, though, and it will be worth keeping close tabs on New York’s head coach search, especially now that their top targets appear to be off the table for the time being.
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