Knicks' Reported Jason Kidd Pursuit Receives Major Update on Friday

After the New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau as head coach, Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that the franchise was interested in Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. 

A Hall of Famer, Kidd played one season with the Knicks in 2012-13. He also coached New York star point guard Jalen Brunson in Dallas. 

The Knicks made the conference finals this year for the first time since 2000, losing to the Indiana Pacers in six games. Thibodeau was hired by New York in 2020. He went 226-174 in the regular season and 24-23 in the postseason and won the 2021 Coach of the Year Award. 

Stein, who is based in Dallas, added to his initial report about Kidd and the Knicks on Friday. The veteran NBA insider reported that New York will formally request permission to speak to Kidd soon. 

“The New York Knicks are expected to formally request permission to speak to the Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd about their coaching vacancy in coming days, league sources say,” Stein wrote. “Also unclear: How Dallas would ultimately respond to the Knicks’ phone call. 

"The Mavericks could certainly swat away the Knicks’ request for permission, but attempts this week by The Stein Line to outright confirm such a posture have been unsuccessful.”