The New York Knicks are swinging for the fences and missing the ball entirely. They dismissed Tom Thibodeau after a run to the Eastern Conference Finals but didn't have a clear plan in place. And a lot of their top options are off the board already.
New York submitted official requests to interview Ime Udoka from the Houston Rockets and Chris Finch from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday night, both of which were quickly denied. And now, another option is off the board.
READ MORE: New York Knicks-Jason Kidd rumors take expected twist
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd
Apr 11, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd looks on during the second quarter against the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Knicks submitted their official request to interview Jason Kidd from the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, a request that was also quickly denied, per Shams Charania of ESPN. This was a sage that lasted much longer than it needed to with people like Brian Windhorst reporting there was some mutual intrigue.
Dallas held all of the cards, though. They just signed Kidd to an extension last year after the run to the NBA Finals, and Kidd has mentioned multiple times he's excited about the opportunity to bring Cooper Flagg in from the draft. If anything, these rumors were a way for Kidd to try and get more money on his contract.
The New York Knicks requested permission Wednesday morning to speak to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd – and Dallas gave a firm rejection, sources tell ESPN. Knicks have been denied now on Kidd, Minnesota's Chris Finch and Houston's Ime Udoka.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2025
There were valid reasons why Kidd would've been interested in the job, though. He ended his playing career as a Knick, spurning the Mavs to do so, he coached Jalen Brunson in Dallas, and he is very familiar with Casey Smith, the vice president of sports medicine for the Knicks. He also wasn't pleased with how the team handled the Luka Doncic trade and all of the media pressure that was forced upon him, but he loves Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Dallas was always where he was going to be.
READ MORE: Mavericks to hire former Lakers coach with championship experience
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