The New York Knicks’ head teaching search all the time felt prefer it was going to get bizarre after firing Tom Thibodeau following the franchise’s longest playoff run in 25 years. Whispers about Jay Wright and Jeff Van Gundy by no means actually handed the odor take a look at, and hiring a first-timer like former assistant Johnnie Bryant would require huge conviction in his means.
From the second Thibs was fired, there was hypothesis that the Knicks might attempt to rent a head coach who already has a job. New York’s entrance workplace has zeroed in on its fundamental goal, and now they’ve to determine the right way to land him.
The Knicks need to rent Jason Kidd as their new head coach, in keeping with ESPN insider Brian Windhorst. There’s just one downside: Kidd is already the top coach of the Dallas Mavericks. The ball is now in Dallas’ court docket: the Mavs can reject New York’s curiosity in Kidd by denying him an interview, or it may well attempt to work out a commerce with the Knicks that might return belongings to Dallas. Right here’s Windhorst’s report on the Knicks’ curiosity in Kidd:
“The Knicks completely wish to rent Jason Kidd to be their subsequent head coach,” Windhorst mentioned. “The query is will the Dallas Mavericks enable them.”
Windhorst recalled the Phoenix Suns’ curiosity in Portland Path Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups final yr. The Blazers rejected the Suns’ interview request, and Billups was ultimately given a contract extension in Portland. That’s a technique this state of affairs might play out. If Dallas is okay with letting Kidd go away, although, the 2 sides must work out a commerce.
Kidd has been traded as a head coach as soon as earlier than. Again in 2014, the Brooklyn Nets traded Kidd to the Milwaukee Bucks for 2 second-round draft picks. Kidd grew to become Giannis Antetokounmpo’s head coach forward of his second NBA season, and shortly enacted a plan to place the ball in his palms and use him as a point-forward. In fact, the Bucks didn’t actually take off as a contender till they changed Kidd with Mike Budenholzer, and added veterans like Brook Lopez in free company and Jrue Vacation by way of commerce.
Does Kidd need to go away Dallas? The Mavs personal the No. 1 decide within the draft and are about to pick out Cooper Flagg out of Duke, a generational prospect who might ultimately turn out to be probably the greatest gamers within the league. In fact, Flagg remains to be solely 18 years previous and is years away from his ceiling. The Mavs even have Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on the roster, however Irving will probably miss all of subsequent season with a torn ACL. It’s laborious to think about the Mavs competing in a loaded Western Convention with out Irving in Flagg’s rookie season.
This might all come again to how Kidd felt in regards to the Luka Doncic commerce. Kidd has performed his finest to flee accountability for the choice, however GM Nico Harrison in all probability relied on him when evaluating his Slovenian celebrity. If he have been to hitch the Knicks, Kidd instantly has a crew able to compete for an NBA Finals berth within the East, however there would even be large stress to win straight away.
The Knicks need Kidd. Does Kidd need the Knicks? If that’s the case, would Dallas actually block him from taking the job? New York is all-in on its championship window, and it must nail this teaching rent. If Leon Rose and co. have it their approach, Kidd would be the Knicks’ subsequent head coach.
