The New York Knicks made the surprising decision to fire Tom Thibodeau following the team's defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers.
As the franchise seeks out its next head coach, one name that's been prominently linked to the franchise is Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. The Knicks are reportedly expected to pursue Kidd as a potential replacement for Thibodeau this offseason, and according to Brian Windhorst, the interest is not one-sided.
During an appearance on SportsCenter on Monday, Windhorst addressed the situation between Kidd and New York.
"The way I would describe this is there's mutual intrigue on both sides," Windhorst said. "I know there's this whole thing about asking permission, you don't ask for permission to hire another team's coach. When you ask, you're going to hire them."
There’s mutual interest between Jason Kidd and the Knicks, per @WindhorstESPN
(h/t @WindhorstESPN )
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Windhorst noted that the Mavericks would have the ability to reject the Knicks' advances, sign Kidd to an extension to persuade him to stay, or try to work out a trade with New York. Kidd just recently signed a new contract in Dallas and his new deal won't expire until after the 2026-27 season.
There's some history between Kidd and the Knicks, too. The former point guard played his final NBA season with the franchise in 2012-13. He's also familiar with Jalen Brunson, having coached the star guard in Dallas in 2021-22.
Whether the Knicks' pursuit of Kidd heats up remains to be seen, but Windhorst indicated there's interest from both parties following the ousting of Thibodeau.
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