Jason Kidd could be in the running to take over the New York Knicks after the franchise fired Tom Thibodeau.
After losing in the Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Knicks made the baffling and surprising choice to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Thibodeau led them to their best season of the 21st century, and while there are plenty of good candidates for the Knicks to target, some premier coaches, like Jay Wright, Michael Malone, and Rick Pitino, are seemingly not interested in taking the job.
The Knicks, more than any other team in the league, can poach a coach from a different team. With their massive media market and star-studded roster, as well as an owner who is willing to spend, the job could be attractive.
Jason Kidd has found success as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, although the volatile front office might have him looking for greener pastures.
Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty ImagesJason Kidd emerges as dark horse pick for Knicks job
Kidd has already been linked to the Knicks, and with the Mavericks still dealing with the aftermath from the Luka Doncic trade, Dallas could no longer be the destination that Kidd thought it would be.
While Kidd is a longshot for New York, he can’t be counted out.
“I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I know, or even think, that J. Kidd wants out of Dallas,” said ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“There certainly have been decisions, major franchise decisions that have been made that he was not on board with.”
While Kidd seemed shocked, perhaps even appalled, by the Mavericks’ choice to trade Doncic, he reacted more to the gutting of his support staff, and he could reunite with one of his best trainers in New York.
“Kidd has been extremely tight with [trainer Casey Smith] since his second tenure as a player in Dallas, who is now running the health and performance group for the New York Knicks,” MacMahon continued.
Mavericks might have a better situation than the Knicks
While the Knicks are coming off a Conference Finals appearance and the Mavericks failed to even make the playoffs, Kidd might enjoy more long-term success in Dallas.
Of course, the Mavs were set up for success before the Doncic trade, but after winning the NBA Draft Lottery, they could land a generational talent in Cooper Flagg, barring a trade, to build around.
“They are about to draft potentially a generational player,” said Brian Windhorst.
Kidd has worked with both Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, helping them both blossom into MVP candidates and superstars, and Flagg could be next in line.
However, Kidd seemed to enjoy coaching Jalen Brunson, although he also has a soft spot for current Mavericks players.
“He loves Kyrie, he loves AD,” MacMahon finished. “I think there is confidence that the Mavericks can be a very good team again, next season.”
With a roster seemingly tailor-made for Kidd to find success and a chance to be a long-term fixture in Dallas, rolling the dice on the famously impatient Knicks would be rash, to say the least.