Mavericks continue to shut down Knicks-Jason Kidd negotiations

The answer from Dallas? A resounding "no." Brian Windhorst of ESPN said that the Mavericks "are not interested in further negotiations at all," and that their message was "don’t even call back." They left no doubt in the minds of the New York brass that the next head coach of the Knicks will not be Jason Kidd.

The Mavericks coach signed a multiyear extension with the franchise in May of 2024, keeping him through the 2026-27 season. Dallas is simply trying to protect an asset they deem valuable moving forward, and by denying the Knicks an opportunity to advance with negotiations, they are also preventing Kidd from using the Knicks as leverage to secure a more lucrative deal.

Of course, the contract with Kidd only goes for two more years. This would mean that Dallas would have to further extend him if they want to keep him around, much of which will depend on the development of presumed top-overall pick Cooper Flagg. It's a lot of pressure to put on an 18-year-old's shoulders, but that is the nature of the current NBA.

If there is one thing to be learned from all of this, it's that if a franchise is going to fire a highly successful and beloved coach, they should probably have a plan beforehand.