Knicks Coaching Search: Mavericks’ Shake Up Could Impact Jason Kidd Availability

Soon after the New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau as their head coach in early June, reports surfaced that the team had heavy interest in Dallas Mavericks leader Jason Kidd.

Days later, it was reported that the Mavericks were unlikely to grant the Knicks access to interview the Hall-of-Fame point guard. Dallas proved those reports correct and Kidd was seemingly no longer a candidate for the gig in the Big Apple. Rumors have remained that New York is not out of the running yet to land Kidd, however.

On Monday, author and founder of the “Knicks Centric” Substack Tommy Beer argued that Kidd’s status is worth monitoring, given a shake up in the Mavericks coaching room over the weekend.

Multiple Factors Could Keep Kidd in the Running For Knicks Job

It was reported on Sunday that Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney was leaving “Big D” to join the San Antonio Spurs. Fred Katz of The Athletic noted that Sweeney had been a “longtime assistant” under Kidd and was “under consideration” for multiple head coaching jobs.

Katz added that following its run to the 2024 NBA Finals, Dallas chose not to offer Kidd’s assistants contract extensions.

“Their top guys — which includes Sweeney, Jared Dudley and more — are up June 30. Dallas may have a bunch of holes on the bench to fill,” the insider wrote.

Beer went further in the analysis of how multiple factors could influence Kidd’s spot with the Mavericks.

“def worth keeping (an) eye on the J Kidd situation in Dallas…

*Unlike Ime Udoka (who agreed to an extension with the Rockets) and Billy Donovan (who has purportedly inked an extension with the Bulls), the Mavs have not yet agreed to tack on additional years/money to Kidd’s current contract,” Beer wrote. “(Dallas Morning News Mavericks reporter Brad Townsend) tweeted yesterday: ‘Unfortunately, it sounds like Sean Sweeney didn’t want to leave and Mavs just didn’t do enough to keep him.'”

Mike Brown, Taylor Jenkins Still Lead the Pack, With Outsider Looming

Even with the Mavericks-related updates of the last 24 hours, there still seems to be two different frontrunners for the Knicks vacancy other than Kidd.

New York recently interviewed both former Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings head Mike Brown and ex-Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins.

James Edwards of The Athletic said in mid-June that Brown was the “best candidate” for the role.

Edwards wrote on Monday that Brown and Jenkins had “good interviews,” but the organization was still doing its “due diligence.” With that in mind, he named New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego as a contender for the gig.

Prior to spending the 2024-25 season on head coach Willie Green’s bench, Borrego served as an assistant with the New Orleans Hornets (2010-12), Orlando Magic (2012-15) and Spurs (2015-18). Borrego was at the helm in Orlando for 30 games in 2015 and served as the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons from 2018-2022.