Jason Kidd is the right coach at the right time for the Knicks. But getting him back in New York isn’t a straightforward matter.
Here’s the thing about Mavericks coach Jason Kidd: he did not have success just by being a nice guy. Sure, he comes off that way when he speaks to the media, a smooth talker, just as he was a smooth point guard during his NBA playing career.
Kidd as a Knick in 2012-13 (photo courtesy SI)
But Kidd can be Machiavellian. He was as a player when he orchestrated a head coach’s firing, and as the Nets head coach when he left for Milwaukee, wanting complete control over personnel. The Knicks want that kind of temperament on the floor at the Garden.
There’s just one thing, though: the Dallas Mavericks, Kidd’s current employer, refused to permit the Knicks to interview him. That said, the Knicks know this is far from over.
How so? I don’t think James Dolan and Leon Rose would have fired Tom Thibodeau without having someone in mind, and I’ll speculate that they knew (probably through a trusted intermediary) that Kidd wanted to return to New York. So, if Kidd wants to coach the Knicks, he will find a way, and it wouldn’t surprise me (when all is said and done) to see Kidd as the next Knicks coach.
It makes sense to think that way. Kidd enjoyed playing for the Knicks and the Nets in New York, and he relished being in the spotlight of the media-intense New York market. Kidd loves attention, and he couldn’t get enough of it when he played for the Knicks and Nets. His ego needed it.
Imagine the response if Kidd returned to NY and ended the Knicks’ 52-year title drought. They would erect a statue in his honor, and Kidd would never have to pay for drinks and food in this city again.
And here’s the thing: the Knicks can win a championship next year. They have a centerpiece star in Jalen Brunson, and Kidd is the right coach to maximize Karl-Anthony Towns’ and Mikal Bridges’ talent. Additionally, Kidd understands how to develop young players and effectively integrate bench players into games and throughout a season. Besides, Kidd has a better chance of winning a championship in New York than he would in Dallas.
Yes, the Mavericks boast Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Cooper Flagg, this year’s #1 overall pick, but Irving and Davis are injury-prone, and it’s going to take time for Flagg to mature in the league.
Then, there’s the Mavericks ownership. Mark Cuban doesn’t own the Mavericks anymore, and that explains why Luka Dončić was traded, much to Kidd’s chagrin. On the other hand, Kidd knows Dolan will spend to win.
The Knicks need to be patient, and Kidd knows he has to find a way to coach the Knicks.
There’s a yin and yang here, and my take is that it’s far from being over.
