A week ago, the New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau without a clear plan in place for who they wanted as the next head coach. However, there is now a name at the top of their wishlist, and it's someone with whom the Boston Celtics are familiar — Jason Kidd.
In the 2024 NBA Finals, Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics faced Kidd and the Mavericks. Kidd's squad was no match for Boston, although several media members picked the Mavs to upset the Celtics. What a time.
Mazzulla called Kidd a "great" coach before the series began, saying that Boston studied Dallas' late-game situations "a lot." Kidd's game plan and in-game adjustments are what helped the Mavericks make an NBA Finals run (their deadline moves, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving helped, too). He was no match for Mazzulla's basketball mind, though. Mazzulla and the Celtics trusted the process, sticking to what led them to 64 wins during the regular season. Their mental fortitude, instilled by Mazzulla, helped them end the series at five games. Kidd's attempt to divert their focus didn't work.
Knicks interested in luring Jason Kidd away from Mavericks
It's funny enough that New York let Thibodeau go after he led the team to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. He did so by leading the Knicks to a 4-2 second-round series win over the Celtics, who, as Boston fans know, New York came nowhere close to beating in the regular season. It's not easy to knock off the defending champs, but the Knicks did. New York rewarded Thibodeau for his efforts in an unusual way.
NBA insider Marc Stein was the first to report that the Knicks were interested in talking with Kidd about their head coach vacancy, but they haven't requested permission from the Mavericks to speak with him. At least not yet. Stein called New York's interest in Kidd "undeniable" (subscription required), citing the coach's successful transition from a player to a coach and his relationship with Jalen Brunson. Kidd coached Brunson in the guard's final season in Dallas before he left for New York in free agency.
If the Knicks wish to bring Kidd back to the Big Apple (it'd require draft compensation), you can bet that the future Boston-New York matchups will be even more interesting. Kidd will try to crack the Celtics again, but thanks to the stone wall that is Mazzulla, that strategy won't work. He'll have to up his game under a blinding spotlight in one of the largest media markets.