Knicks Must Keep Waiting for 'Long-Shot' Jason Kidd Hire amid NBA Rumors

Patience isn't always a virtue in NBA coaching searches.

In the case of the New York Knicks, though, it might be a vital part of their effort to replace Tom Thibodeau—provided it eventually leads them to their desired result.

New York, as you've probably heard countless times by now, has a clear affinity for Dallas Mavericks head coach (and one-time Knicks point guard) Jason Kidd. And while the Knicks have struggled to gain traction with that pursuit, it remains "something...to continue to monitor," per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

As Edwards observed, Kidd has two years left on his contract and has yet to agree to an extension. If those talks continue to drag out or even hit an irreparable snag, perhaps that opens the door for New York to swoop in and land its preferred choice.

It is, however, a "long shot," per Edwards, so the Knicks need to consider alternatives. And they are. They interested former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown last week and have "tossed around the idea" of interviewing former Charlotte Hornets coach James Borrego, per Edwards, who noted Borrego is "a CAA client" and "known around the league for his offensive creativity and analytics-forward approach."

Getting an offensive-minded coach to guide this group seems like a plausible strategy, since a roster headed by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns will inevitably have an offensive direction.

Yet Borrego, who spent this past season as the New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach, wasn't New York's first choice. For that matter, neither were Brown or Jenkins.

That distinction goes to Kidd, who, for what it's worth, seems intrigued by New York's interest. That doesn't necessarily make him any easier to wrestle away from the Mavericks, but he could make things uncomfortable by making clear he wants out. Then, New York would need to find the right amount of draft assets to convince Dallas to make a coaching change.

Again, this is a long shot, as Edwards put it, but the Knicks have little to lose by waiting out this process and hoping for the best. The other head coaching vacancies have been filled already, so there isn't any real worry about a prime candidate being poached by someone else.

Plus, New York needs to nail this hire. Thibodeau was wildly successful during his tenure, yet the Knicks thought they could upgrade.

And, in theory at least, that's possible. The Knicks' starters seem worn out by the playoffs, a common criticism of Thibodeau's teams. New York also played slower and shot fewer threes than you'd expect with its personnel.

The right coach could potentially squeeze more out of this roster.

Expectations are enormous, though, both for the new coach and the decision-makers overseeing this process. The Knicks need to add someone whom the consensus feels as it least equal to—if not greater than—Thibodeau. And whomever gets hired will immediately be tasked with putting this team on a championship path.

It certainly hasn't made for the best optics to axe Thibodeau and not have his replacement at the ready. The Knicks have been routinely rebuffed in their efforts to hire an already employed head coach. It's a, shall we say, less than glamorous look, particularly for a stacked, deep-pocketed team in one of the league's most glamorous markets.

This isn't about saving face, though. It's about getting this right.

And if the Knicks think getting it right means hiring Kidd, they have no choice but to consider this option until the door is fully closed.