Having played under Jason Kidd in Dallas, one former NBA star weighed in on the head coach as a better fit for the New York Knicks than Tom Thibodeau.
The New York Knicks want Jason Kidd as their next head coach. They see Kidd as the coach who can take them to the next level after they let Tom Thibodeau go.
But is Kidd the man to take the Knicks to the NBA Finals? One NBA player who played under Kidd on the Mavericks believes he isn’t that much of an upgrade over Thibodeau.
Speaking on First Take, Los Angeles Lakers star Markieff Morris gave his take on Jason Kidd as the next head coach of the New York Knicks.
He claimed that his experience playing under Kidd on the Mavericks showed him that he isn’t leagues above Thibodeau as a coach. From Kidd’s standpoint, a move to the Knicks would disrupt his system and wouldn’t be a wise idea.
“Having played for J Kidd, I’m not really sure if he’s that much of a step up from Thibodeau. They’re both great coaches.“
“I think that the other side of the basketball, being connected to the players, means a lot. I think that’s more important than putting them over the top because both are great coaches.
“J Kidd was just in the Western Conference Finals last year. J Kidd has all his tools in Dallas, so for me, I really don’t think the move would be smart because you know everything and are comfortable in the system. I just think you push forward with that.”
All the talk of Jason Kidd potentially becoming the next New York Knicks head coach may have been for naught.
NBA insider Shams Charania reported a few hours ago that the Mavericks rejected the Knicks’ request to interview Kidd for the position.
This rejection is the latest, as the Rockets and Timberwolves also denied the Knicks a chance to interview Ime Udoka and Chris Finch, respectively.
The Knicks will likely be forced to look for other coach options. Chris Broussard backed Johnnie Bryant as a potential candidate, citing his experience under Kenny Atkinson in Cleveland and his time on Thibodeau’s coaching staff on the Knicks.
If the Knicks want to look inwards, Rick Brunson, the man who replaced Bryant when he left for the Cavaliers job, could be an option.
It’s time for the Knicks to look at some less-established names, as the big-name coaches are just not available for them.
