The New York Knicks continue their search for a new head coach, with interviews reportedly set this week for former NBA coaches Taylor Jenkins and Mike Brown. Despite the Dallas Mavericks denying New York’s request to speak with Jason Kidd, the Knicks remain actively interested in pursuing him.
According to sources, the Knicks’ front office, headed by team president Leon Rose, is leveraging its network to gather detailed insight on coaching candidates. While Kidd and Jenkins have “indeed emerged as ‘early favorites’”, the organization is taking its time, collecting background on both professional and college-level coaches before making a decision.
Even though Dallas refused to let New York interview Kidd, the reported “mutual interest” between Kidd and the Knicks has kept their hopes alive. The team continues to signal interest, potentially driving up the market value of coaches across the league. For example, the Chicago Bulls extended Billy Donovan’s contract shortly after the Knicks requested an interview, and on Thursday, the Houston Rockets followed suit with Ime Udoka, locking him into a new deal after New York reportedly showed interest.
Until the Mavericks either finalize a contract extension with Kidd or officially decide not to, the Knicks are keeping their options open. As one source put it, “the Knicks will pursue Kidd until that door is firmly shut.”
Should Kidd remain in Dallas, New York won’t need to completely shift gears — they’ve already built a strong foundation of research on other potential hires and will continue refining their evaluations moving forward.
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