By Mike Curtis
Mavericks Beat Writer
Clarity about Jason Kidd’s status with the Dallas Mavericks has finally been revealed after a week of speculation.
The Mavericks have no interest in losing their head coach.
The franchise on Wednesday morning denied a request from the New York Knicks to interview Kidd for their head coaching job, multiple people familiar with the matter confirmed to The Dallas Morning News.
The fourth-year Mavericks head coach would have been a top candidate to succeed Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last week after the Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
While the Mavericks officially denying the Knicks’ request to speak with Kidd is a good sign he’ll remain in Dallas, a team’s pursuit of a coach doesn’t have to end because of a rejected interview request.
Hypothetically, the Knicks could extend the Mavericks a trade package in exchange for Kidd, who was involved in a coaching trade after the 2013-14 season, when the Brooklyn Nets traded him to the Milwaukee Bucks for two second-round picks.
But New York wouldn’t find a willing trade partner in Dallas, a person familiar with the Mavericks’ negotiations told The News. The Knicks have a limited amount of draft assets after the Mikal Bridges trade last year. They own their first-round picks in 2026 and 2030, but there are several stipulations attached to an additional first-round pick from 2026 (via Washington) and theirs in 2028.
Most important, the Mavericks have given no indication of being willing to part with Kidd, who took Dallas to the NBA Finals and two Western Conference finals in four seasons. He’s still under contract after reportedly receiving a two-year contract extension during last year’s playoff run that begins with the 2025-26 season, though Kidd could potentially use the interest from the Knicks in future negotiations.
This week’s addition of longtime NBA assistant Jay Triano to the staff also signals Kidd’s intention to remain in Dallas. According to a report in The Athletic, general manager Nico Harrison assured Triano Kidd would be the head coach.
It’s feasible to think the Knicks job would appeal to Kidd. He has a relationship with point guard Jalen Brunson after coaching him during Kidd’s first season in Dallas in 2021. He’s familiar with the intensity of coaching in New York, having spent the 2013-14 season as coach of the Brooklyn Nets. He even left Dallas for New York once before, signing with the Knicks in 2012 for what would be the final season of his career after verbally agreeing to stay with the Mavericks.
But Kidd also has significant relationships with players in Dallas, including superstars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. And he’s poised to have the opportunity to coach the No. 1 player in the June 25 NBA draft, presumably Cooper Flagg, whom Kidd has referred to as “the young man from Duke,” while praising the freshman forward.
Flagg will be in town for a private visit next week, so it was in the Mavericks’ interest to shore up their coaching situation before his visit.
New York’s requests to interview Chris Finch of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets were also denied, according to media reports.
If the Knicks were to continue pursuing a coach whose team rejected their requests, they could be accused of tampering. In 1995, New York was on the opposite side of a tampering case when the Miami Heat had to send the Knicks a first-round draft pick and $1 million in cash after hiring Pat Riley as head coach and team president.
By Mike Curtis
Mike is the Mavericks Beat Writer for The Dallas Morning News. Before his arrival at the DMN, he spent two seasons covering the Detroit Pistons at The Detroit News. Mike earned his bachelor’s degree in Communications from Tennessee State University and received his master’s degree in Media and Communication from Middle Tennessee State University.
This story, originally published in The Dallas Morning News, is reprinted as part of a collaborative partnership between The Dallas Morning News and Texas Metro News. The partnership seeks to boost coverage of Dallas’ communities of color, particularly in southern Dallas.
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