In an offseason that has already been filled with plenty of crazy news for the Dallas Mavericks, considering they landed the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and will select Cooper Flagg in less than two weeks, things have gotten even wilder recently.
Even though Jason Kidd is under contract with the Mavericks, the New York Knicks are highly interested in making him their next head coach. Earlier this week, the Knicks were denied by the Mavericks when they formally asked them to interview Kidd, but that doesn't mean that their pursuit of Kidd is over.
The Knicks can continue to go after Kidd if they want to and offer the Mavericks a trade package for their head coach, and that could be the next step in this saga. A move like this from New York would show that they truly want to make Kidd their next head coach, and it could lead to the Mavericks considering all possibilities with Kidd.
Knicks aren't finished trying to pry Jason Kidd away from the Mavericks
According to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, "the Knicks’ pursuit might not stop with the official denial of permission." It has been reported that there is mutual interest between Kidd and the Knicks regarding their head coach vacancy, and plainly, that may be the one thing that keeps these rumors going deep into the offseason.
If Kidd truly isn't 100 percent bought into the future vision for the Mavericks, they may explore trade opportunities with the Knicks and try to extract as much draft capital out of them as possible. This seems unlikely, as Dallas has shown no indications that they want Kidd to leave, but things can change quickly, especially when assets are involved.
If the Knicks were able to offer the Mavericks a trade that included a first-round pick, this could end up being a tempting offer for Nico Harrison and Patrick Dumont to consider, as the Flagg era will begin before we know it. Dallas clearly needs all the first-round draft capital they can get to build around Flagg and prioritize the future, and if Kidd doesn't seem fully bought in to coaching Flagg and being the coach moving forward, then it may be in their best interest to tango with the Knicks.
If Harrison and Dumont are fully against Kidd leaving and believe he is happy in Dallas, they could also shut all of this down by offering him a contract extension. Kidd has two years left remaining on his current contract extension that he signed during the 2024 NBA Playoffs, and if they strongly believe that he is the right coach for Flagg and the next era of Mavericks basketball, this is definitely a move that they should consider.
Over the last four seasons in Dallas, Kidd has helped the Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals twice and the NBA Finals once, showing that he has what it takes to win in the playoffs. He is also a spectacular players' coach, as it has been well-chronicled that his guys love playing for him.
This could be the perfect type of coach that Flagg needs to begin his NBA career.
Flagg is known for being a tireless worker and a stellar defender, and those two things should make him a great fit into Kidd's system (assuming the Mavericks don't trade him to the Knicks). Kidd's scheme is all about players buying into their roles and being switchable defenders, and Flagg would bring all of that and more.
Dallas denying the Knicks' request to interview Kidd earlier this week, ahead of Flagg's official visit, was exactly what they needed to do to ensure that the meeting goes as smoothly as possible, and finding out exactly how Kidd feels over the next few weeks will be crucial. Having a coaching change right after Flagg gets drafted would not be ideal, and they need to begin this era with a coach who is eager to coach one of the best prospects this game has seen in some time.
Kidd checks that box off, as he has spoken highly of Flagg whenever he has been given the chance, but now the Mavericks have to make sure he wants to be in Dallas for the long haul.