NBA Insider 'Would Not Dismiss' Jason Kidd Possibility for Knicks After Thibodeau Exit
After the New York Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau, some speculated that Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd would be a long-shot to replace him.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on Thursday's episode of The Hoop Collective that the idea of Kidd joining the Knicks isn't completely farfetched despite him still being under contract with the Mavs.
"So you've got to bring in a relationships guy," MacMahon said. "And, listen, one of the names that's been thrown out there is a man who's under contract with another team, but definitely a guy who has relationships not just with Jalen Brunson, but with a lot of people in that organization. And that's Jason Kidd. And what I will say about that is, I would not dismiss that possibility."
Kidd spent the final season of his legendary playing career with the Knicks in 2012-13. He immediately transitioned to coaching after his retirement, and he was hired by the Mavs in 2021 after stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. He coached Brunson for one season before he signed with New York as a free agent in 2022.
MacMahon pointed out that there have been no indications that Kidd is pushing to leave Dallas. Still, the franchise has ushered in a new direction under majority owner Patrick Dumont and general manager Nico Harrison, the latter of whom made the shocking decision to trade star guard Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. The firing of head athletic trainer Casey Smith could also affect Kidd's outlook with the Mavs.
"And I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I know or even think that J-Kidd wants out of Dallas. That would be going way too far," MacMahon explained. "What I can comfortably say is there certainly have been decisions—major franchise decisions that have been made—that he was not on board with. One of which includes the firing of Casey Smith, who J-Kidd has been extremely tight with since his second tenure as a player in Dallas. Who is now running the health and performance group for the New York Knicks."
The Mavs landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft despite having just a 1.8 percent chance in the draft lottery, so it would be a massive surprise if Kidd passes up the opportunity to coach a potential future superstar like Cooper Flagg, who is universally expected to be the top pick.
Still, the Knicks have a championship-ready roster that just needs the right leadership, creating a situation that could be more attractive to Kidd if he decides to make a change.
