Jason Kidd knew the Dallas Mavericks were headed in the wrong direction when they traded Luka Doncic overnight without any inclination he was available for teams to poach. Not even the No. 1 pick and presumably future franchise player in Cooper Flagg is enough to have Kidd not explore his future.
According to reports, Kidd’s name has circulated as a candidate for the vacant head coaching position in New York after the Knicks canned Tom Thibodeau after a disappointing finish to the season, which ended to the Indiana Pacers for the second-straight season, this year in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Kidd does bring coaching experience to New York, which is a plus. There seems to be mutual interest, meaning if things matriculate, Kidd could be out of Dallas before Nico Harrison continues to run the franchise into the ground. I guess it’s best for Kidd to get out before things get even worse than they are and he becomes the scapegoat.
Jason Kidd knows where things are headed and the New York Knicks provide the perfect fresh start
The Knicks should be very interested in Kidd. For one, he’s got experience, but more than that, he’s got playoff experience. Just last season, he led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals. Though they won just one game over the Boston Celtics, it was proof he was building something in Dallas.
Since he’s been in Dallas, the Mavs have been to the playoffs two out of his four seasons. In both those seasons, they won at least 50 games. In his coaching career as a whole, he’s been to the playoffs five times total.
What he’s been able to accomplish in Dallas should give the Knicks optimism. I think before they blow up the roster and make drastic changes, they need to give the new coach a chance to do what Thibodeau couldn’t. The Knicks were bounced out of the playoffs not because they weren’t good enough, but because their coach hindered them.
With this roster, Kidd would certainly give the Knicks a much better chance at competing for an NBA championship. It’s not set in stone with him still employed by the Mavs. But he knows where that’s headed and him showing interest in a new job is proof he wants no part of it.
Harrison rewarded the franchise's most successful season since 2011 by trading the team’s franchise player. The Knicks would be a chance for him to prove he was in a terrible situation in Dallas.