Nico Harrison Confirms Jason Kidd Will Remain Mavs HC Despite Knicks Rumors

The New York Knicks have been rumored to have interest in Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd as they seek to replace the fired Tom Thibodeau, and Kidd hasn't signed an extension with the Mavs amidst those rumors.

But president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison reiterated on Wednesday night that Kidd isn't going anywhere:

Kidd is still under contract for two more seasons, though as James L. Edwards III of The Athletic noted on Monday, the head coach "still hasn't agreed to an extension like other currently-employed head coaches who the Knicks showed interest in during the first stage of their search."

One such coach, Houston's Ime Udoka, signed an extension last week after the Knicks expressed interest in him, while another, Chicago's Billy Donovan, is reportedly in extension talks with the organization.

Furthermore, Edwards reported that "Kidd is going to lose his longtime assistant Sean Sweeney to the San Antonio Spurs, league sources confirm to The Athletic. Other top Mavericks assistants, Jared Dudley and God Shammgod, have received interest from rival ballclubs, per league sources, and have contracts that expire on June 30, which is also when Sweeney's deal is up. These all factor into why the Knicks-Kidd chatter won't fully go away."

Granted, the Mavericks are under no obligation to let Kidd pursue a different opportunity even if he's so inclined to do so, given that he remains under contract. Under his watch, the Mavericks have gone 179-149 in four seasons, with two playoff berths, two trips to the Western Conference Finals and one trip to the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks don't really have any reason to cut ties with Kidd, and Harrison's comments should throw a bit more water on any Kidd rumors. Those rumors probably won't be fully extinguished, however, until he or his assistants receive extensions.