SPORTSCOLUMNISTSSTEVE POPPER
While the champagne flows elsewhere in the NBA—like for the barely-legal Oklahoma City Thunder celebrating their first title since relocating from Seattle—and teams like the Houston Rockets make splashy moves (acquiring Kevin Durant for a bargain price), the New York Knicks find themselves in a state of silence and uncertainty. Just weeks after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter-century, they fired the coach who led them there, Tom Thibodeau, and are now caught in a critical coaching limbo that impacts their entire offseason strategy.
The Fallout of Success: A Coaching Void
Dismissing Thibodeau, who brought the Knicks closer to contention than they’ve been in decades, was a surprising move. It elevated expectations significantly for the next era. Yet, that era is off to a slow start. Being without a head coach leaves the team without a defined system or direction, complicating crucial decisions.
The Knicks lack a first-round pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and their ability to make significant trades to “level up” the roster is challenging after expending considerable assets last summer. How do you select a prospect or pursue a trade target without knowing the coaching philosophy or scheme they’ll be playing in? This situation fuels speculation that the front office might be seeking a coach more aligned with their specific vision, possibly one less independent than Thibodeau.
The Search Focuses: Is Jason Kidd the Target?
Despite a slow, methodical coaching search process—which feels different from the 2020 search that ended with Thibodeau—multiple sources indicate a clear preferred target has emerged: Jason Kidd. The current Dallas Mavericks head coach is reportedly the top choice for the Knicks’ vacancy.
However, landing Kidd presents significant hurdles. He remains under contract with the Mavericks for at least two more years, and initial reports suggested Dallas was expected to deny any request from the Knicks to interview him. Acquiring a coach still under contract almost always requires compensation, likely in the form of draft picks—assets the Knicks have largely depleted.
Hurdles and Dallas Dynamics
The situation in Dallas adds another layer of intrigue. Kidd has not received an extension or raise, and key members of his staff are departing. Lead assistant Sean Sweeney is heading to San Antonio as associate head coach after reportedly declining an interview opportunity with the Knicks for their head coaching job. Assistant Jared Dudley is also expected to leave for Cleveland, and developmental coach God Shammgod may be departing as well. While staff departures might signal potential issues in Dallas, Sweeney’s decision to take an associate role elsewhere rather than the potential Knicks head job also raises questions.
Targeting an employed coach like Kidd, with the complications of compensation and potential resistance from his current team, has led some observers to describe the Knicks’ approach as an “odd” Plan A, especially given their limited draft capital. Despite the challenges, connections like star guard Jalen Brunson and VP of Sports Medicine Casey Smith, who have relationships with Kidd, might give the Knicks hope he could be attainable.
High Stakes, Narrowing Window
It’s crucial to remember the Knicks are no longer a rebuilding team. Their recent playoff success has raised the bar, and the next coach faces massive expectations immediately. The Eastern Conference Finals run, while celebrated, ultimately wasn’t enough to secure Thibodeau’s job.
Adding to the urgency, significant injuries have hit key players on rival Eastern Conference contenders, including Jayson Tatum (Boston), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana), and Damian Lillard (Milwaukee). This confluence of events could potentially open a competitive window for the Knicks next season.
The current coaching limbo and the path forward are pivotal. The decisions made in the coming weeks will determine whether the New York Knicks can finally end their half-century championship drought or if they risk backsliding just when contention seemed within reach. The pressure is squarely on the front office to navigate this complex situation and make the right moves.
By Steve Popper
steve.popper@newsday.com@StevePopper
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday and has nearly three decades covering the team and the NBA.
