Jason Kidd Leaving Mavericks for Knicks Reportedly Not Ruled Out Yet originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The New York Knicks are looking for a new head coach after firing Tom Thibodeau despite making the conference finals this year for the first time since 2000. 

The Knicks have been denied permission to speak with Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka, Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan. 

Despite getting rejected by the Mavericks, though, it appears the Knicks aren’t giving up on Kidd. 

According to K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network, New York could circle back to Kidd, who played for the Knicks in 2012-13. 

Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN are also reporting that there’s some belief that things could change in the cases of Kidd in Dallas and Donovan in Chicago.

Kidd has a coaching record of 362-339 in the regular season and 31-33 in the postseason with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Mavericks. He was a superstar with the New Jersey Nets and coached Brooklyn for one season, so he’s familiar with the New York market. 

When Kidd left the Nets for the Bucks in 2014, Milwaukee had to trade two second-round draft picks to Brooklyn to get the Hall of Famer. 

The Knicks would have to send draft compensation to Dallas to get Kidd, who has two years left on his contract with the Mavericks. 

Some believe Kidd is using the Knicks as leverage to get a contract extension from the Mavericks, who have the first overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. 

Dallas is widely expected to draft Duke’s Cooper Flagg.

As for the Knicks, they are focused on Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins in their coaching search, per Sam Amick of The Athletic, but it sounds like we can’t fully close the door on Kidd returning to New York. 

Related: NBA Trade Idea Sends Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd to Knicks

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.