The Dallas Mavericks have denied the New York Knicks’ request to interview Head Coach Jason Kidd for the exact same role despite the two sides’ mutual interest.
The Knicks have been searching for a new head coach since firing Tom Thibodeau last week, a move that shocked many across the league.
Thibodeau had previously led the Knicks to back-to-back seasons with 50 or more wins and their first Eastern Conference Finals since the 1999-2000 season.
New York had previously expressed interest in Jason Kidd as a potential candidate for the team’s vacant role, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst saying there was “mutual intrigue” between the two sides.
“The Knicks absolutely would like to hire Jason Kidd to be their next head coach. The question is, will the Dallas Mavericks allow that?” added Windhorst in a later appearance on Get Up.
The answer to that question is a definitive no.
Dallas has now denied the Knicks’ request to interview Kidd, indicating that the Mavericks’ head coach will be with the franchise for the foreseeable future.
New York has now been denied from multiple interviews with current head coaches, including Houston Rockets Head Coach Ime Udoka and Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Chris Finch, per ESPN.
The Mavericks’ decision to deny the interview is not surprising after the team re-signed Kidd to a multi-year extension last offseason, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The Mavericks are also expected to be a major contender next season as the team is entering an important offseason that will require a few smart moves to fill out the roster.
Dallas will rely on a full season from Anthony Davis to help keep the team afloat before the eventual return of Kyrie Irving, who is expected to miss roughly half the season as he recovers from a torn ACL.
The Mavericks will also rely heavily on rookie forward Cooper Flagg, who is widely expected to be selected by the franchise with the first overall pick in the NBA Draft.
Although the Mavericks already have a plethora of talent on the roster, moves should still be made to help fill some of the small holes.
Currently, the Mavericks need an additional ball handler and playmaker to run the offense for the first half of the season, with three players standing out as the most likely options.