Mavericks' nightmare scenario just got real thanks to Knicks' bold Jason Kidd plot

After the New York Knicks fired Tom Thibodeau yesterday, Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd became the ninth-longest tenured coach in the NBA, as he is entering his fifth season coaching the team. Kidd has seen plenty of success as the coach of the Mavericks, as he reached the Western Conference Finals in his first season with the team and just reached the NBA Finals in 2024, but his accolades in Dallas could be wiped away in the blink of an eye if recent rumblings about the Knicks' head coaching vacancy come to fruition.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Knicks have interest in hiring Kidd (subscription required) to be their next coach, but he predicted that the Mavs would decline the Knicks' request to speak with him if they reached out to Dallas.

While the Knicks' interest in Kidd doesn't guarantee that he will leave the Mavericks by any means, it does show that those around the league are taking notice of the job he is doing as coach of the Mavs, and him leaving right as this new era truly kicks off would be devastating.

Kidd leaving Mavericks for Knicks would crush everything they built

First off, Kidd's strong relationships with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis are one of the biggest benefits he brings as head coach of the Mavs, and losing out on his player relationships would be a major blow for Dallas.

Kidd heading to New York would leave Davis and Irving out to dry right before their first full season together, even though Irving will miss significant time due to his ACL tear, and this would be a major challenge. They wouldn't be able to build upon the chemistry they already both possess with Kidd and would have to learn under a new head coach. He is clearly well-liked in the locker room and most of the fan base, as his time as a player as a Maverick, combined with his early winning, has helped him significantly.

Multiple Mavericks players have raved in the past about how beneficial it is to play for a Hall of Fame point guard, and he seems to have a great relationship with his players. He tells them how it is, and while his honesty may be brutal at times, he knows what it takes to win.

As Stein reported, it seems likely that the Mavs would deny the Knicks' request to interview Kidd if they did happen to reach out, but if he did have interest in leaving and somehow interview with New York, this could throw a major wrench into Cooper Flagg's rookie year. Kidd seems excited to coach Flagg, even though he won't say it outright, and Flagg coming into the NBA with a brand new head coach may not be the best possible outcome for his development.

Flagg joining the close-knit locker room that Kidd has helped build seems like a much better option than being led by a brand-new head coach, and while the rumors of Kidd heading to the Knicks haven't gathered much steam yet, things can change quickly in today's NBA.

Mavericks fans will be praying that Kidd remains on the Mavericks' sideline to begin the 2025-26 season, and we'll have you covered with all the latest.