Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd has significant interest in becoming a head coach again -- and he may have the chance to do so in New York.
The Knicks plan to interview the future Hall of Famer in Kidd during their head-coaching search, league sources confirm. SNY first reported last week that Kidd was receiving strong internal consideration to be interviewed by New York.
Kidd played one season for the Knicks, filling a pivotal role on a team that won 54 games in 2012-13. The 47-year-old thoroughly enjoyed his time as a Knick, and one source familiar with Kidd's tenure says he'd welcome the opportunity to return to the Big Apple.
Newsday also reported that Kidd would have interest in the Knicks job, and that other teams interested in Kidd see him as a link to Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is expected to be a free agent in 2021. Antetokounmpo has been highly complimentary of Kidd, who coached the Bucks from 2014-2018 and the Nets in 2013-14.
If the Rockets choose to not retain Mike D'Antoni, some opposing teams monitoring Kidd's situation believe he will be among the coaches Houston considers to replace D'Antoni.
Kidd is the 10th known candidate the Knicks plan to interview.
Here are the other known candidates: Dallas assistant Jamahl Mosely, San Antonio assistant Will Hardy, Golden State assistant Mike Brown, Chicago Bulls assistant Chris Fleming, Philadelphia 76ers lead assistant Ime Udoka, Orlando Magic assistant Pat Delany, ex-Knicks head coach Mike Woodson, former Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson are also expected to interview for the opening.
Interim head coach Mike Miller will also get an interview with the Knicks. Team president Leon Rose was thoroughly impressed by Miller in the brief time he spent around the coach this season (prior to the suspension of the year due to coronavirus), as SNY reported.
Miller will likely get an offer to be an assistant -- or to take on another role in the organization -- if Rose doesn't name him head coach.
New York is expected to have brief introductory interviews with some candidates this week, per SNY sources. Those introductory interviews, which will be conducted via video conference, will be followed by longer, more formal interviews, sources say.
The Knicks' search is expected to last several weeks and to conclude by the end of July, when the NBA is scheduled to resume regular-season play in Orlando.
It is unclear who else the Knicks may interview for the opening. Spurs assistant Becky Hammon was described by a source as a name to keep an eye on for a potential interview, as Newsday first reported.
It would make sense if other ascendant assistant coaches, such as Milwaukee's Darvin Ham and Utah's Johnnie Bryant, get an audience with New York.
Agents and coaches who have a vested interest in the Knicks' process have long believed that Rose is most likely to hire Thibodeau. But there is legitimate internal support for Atkinson, as SNY reported last week. Kentucky's John Calipari would also be a strong candidate for the job if he chose to leave Kentucky. But there is no indication that Calipari would consider making the jump to the NBA again.
If they aren't hired as the head coach, Woodson, Miller and other candidates outside of Atkinson and Thibodeau could get consideration as assistants on the Knicks' next coaching staff.
The New York Times first reported the Knicks' scheduled interview with Kidd. The Athletic first reported the Knicks' scheduled interview with Brown.
