As the New York Knicks search for a new head coach to replace Tom Thibodeau, an intriguing name with ties to the franchise has been thrown into the mix: Jason Kidd.
The Knicks fired Thibodeau on June 3, 2025—mere days after leading the franchise to its first Conference Finals appearance in 25 years. Criticized for his lineup structure and minute distribution, the veteran head coach faced an outcome perhaps precipitated by the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies' decisions to shockingly fire Michael Malone and Taylor Jenkins despite their success.
Thibodeau saved New York from decades of instability, and led it to its best season in a quarter-century, but the franchise opted to move on—and there may already be a candidate in mind.
Kidd has been the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks since 2021 and still has two years remaining on his current contract. Much has changed since the Hall of Famer signed a contract extension, however, including Dallas' controversial decision to trade Luka Doncic mere months after he led the team to the NBA Finals.
According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, the Knicks are expected to explore the likelihood of poaching Kidd from the Mavericks during these turbulent times in Dallas.
"Two head coaches who are not currently available but said to interest the Knicks, according to league sources, are Dallas' Jason Kidd and Houston's Ime Udoka."
During a recent episode of The Hoop Collective, Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon of ESPN stated that he, "Wouldn't dismiss," the possibility of the Knicks hiring Kidd as their next head coach.
"One of the names that's been thrown out there is a man who's under contract with another team, but definitely a guy who has relationships not just with Jalen Brunson, but with a lot of people in that organization. And that's Jason Kidd. What I will say about that is: I would not dismiss that possibility."
This in no way confirms that Kidd will be the next head coach of the Knicks, but his deep-rooted ties to the franchise are tough to overlook.
Two NBA insiders link Knicks to Jason Kidd for head coaching vacancy
Kidd played his final NBA season with the Knicks in 2012-13. His veteran leadership, as well as his almost unrivaled proficiency as a floor general, played a definitive role in the team winning 54 games and its first playoff series in over a decade.
12 years later, Kidd could bring his Knicks experience full circle by continuing to lead the franchise from a different corner of the court.
In addition to playing for New York, Kidd previously coached its current franchise player: Jalen Brunson. Brunson had his best pre-Knicks season under Kidd in 2021-22, averaging 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per contest. He also started a then-career-high 61 games.
Furthermore, Brunson broke out during the 2022 NBA Playoffs, averaging 21.6 points per game as he, Kidd, and Doncic led the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals.
Kidd's ties to both Brunson and the Knicks organization certainly offer reason for intrigue. It's also impossible to ignore the fact that Kidd has led teams to the NBA Finals once and the Western Conference Finals twice since 2022.
Previously criticized for his limitations as a head coach, Kidd has emerged as one of the best that the Association has to offer during his time in Dallas.
Kidd has excelled in the player development arena, helping stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brunson, and Doncic reach the next level. He's also played a significant role in the likes of Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and P.J. Washington taking significant steps forward in their respective careers.
For a Knicks team that's aspiring to continue to build around Brunson and better utilize its depth, perhaps Kidd is the coach they've been looking for.