With the Knicks shockingly parting ways with head coach Tom Thibodeau, many wondered if owner James Dolan and president Leon Rose had another trick up their sleeve for finding a big-name coach to replace the one that just took them to the Eastern Conference Finals. Some have speculated this may be a trade for Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
While this may seem a ludicrous concept for Dallas on the surface, James J. Edwards III of The Athletic reported that some inner tension may lie between Kidd and the Mavericks’ brass.
Edwards III reported that the Knicks’ front office executives “really believe Kidd is attainable.” One reason for this, according to Edwards III, is how the Mavericks handled the Luka Dončić trade to the Lakers and the resulting fallout with fans and media. Edwards III wrote:
“Kidd didn’t always enjoy being Dallas’ spokesperson in the aftermath of the franchise trading Luka Dončić, per league sources. In a Feb. 10 game against the Kings, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford got hurt. In the middle of the injury crisis, multiple fans were also ejected for protesting the Dončić trade. Kidd didn’t address the media afterward.”
Kidd also has history coaching Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson while they were in Dallas together. However, during that stretch, Brunson was largely used as a sixth man, and his production paled in comparison to what he puts up on a nightly basis in New York as he took a backseat to Dončić. Would Brunson sign off on reuniting with a coach who did not fully utilize his talents?
