Mavs might reject Knicks request to interview head coach

The New York Knicks are interested in holding a head coach interview with one of their former players, but it might not happen.

After firing Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, the Knicks are tasked with hiring a new voice to lead a team that came within six wins of an NBA title this season.

According to a new report from NBA insider Marc Stein, one of the names the Knicks are monitoring is former Knicks point guard Jason Kidd.

Oh, but there’s one slight issue: Kidd is the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

Kidd, who retired as a player in 2013 while wearing a Knicks uniform, may have a private interest in jumping ship in Dallas and becoming the Knicks’ head coach, but he’s currently under contract with the Mavs.

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That contract, by rule, allows Dallas to reject New York’s request to interview Kidd.

But will the Mavs make that decision? Stein wasn’t able to find out.

“The New York Knicks are expected to formally request permission to speak to the Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd about their coaching vacancy in coming days, league sources say,” Stein wrote. “Also unclear: How Dallas would ultimately respond to the Knicks’ phone call.”

“The Mavericks could certainly swat away the Knicks’ request for permission, but attempts this week by The Stein Line to outright confirm such a posture have been unsuccessful.”

Not surprisingly, Kidd was allegedly not super pleased with Dallas GM Nico Harrison’s decision to trade Luka Dončić in February. If Kidd still feels some type of way about the Mavericks front office, things could get interesting if that front office allows the Knicks to interview Kidd.

Kidd has coached the Brooklyn Nets, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Mavs so far in his NBA head coaching career, accruing a record of 362-339 in the regular season and 31-33 in the playoffs.

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