Jason Kidd’s future in Dallas may not be as secure as it seems. While the Hall of Fame point guard remains under contract with the Mavericks, NBA insiders are beginning to buzz about a potential shakeup that could send him back to New York, this time on the sidelines.
During an episode of ESPN’s The Hoop Collective, NBA insider Tim MacMahon gave legitimacy to the growing rumors.
“So you’ve got to bring in a relationships guy. And listen, one of the names that’s been thrown out there is a man who’s under contract with another team, but definitely a guy who has relationships not just with Jalen Brunson, but with a lot of people in that organization.”
“And that’s Jason Kidd. And what I will say about that is, I would not dismiss that possibility. And I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I know or even think that JKidd wants out of Dallas.”
“That would be going way too far. What I can comfortably say is there certainly have been decisions, major franchise decisions that have been made, that he was not on board with.”
“One of which includes the firing of Casey Smith, who JKidd has been extremely tight with since his second tenure as a player in Dallas, who is now running the health and performance group for the New York Knicks.”
The New York Knicks are seriously interested in poaching Jason Kidd from Dallas following their surprise decision to fire head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Despite leading the Knicks to their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000, Thibodeau was let go in what’s been described as a “philosophical reset” from the front office, possibly influenced by a desire to find a coach who can better manage star relationships and long-term health performance strategies.
Enter Jason Kidd.
While MacMahon was careful not to declare that Kidd wants out of Dallas, he noted that the relationship between Kidd and the Mavericks front office has become strained.
Among them was the controversial firing of longtime Dallas health and performance chief Casey Smith, a close confidant of Kidd’s. Smith has since joined the New York Knicks, further stoking speculation that the coaching move might be in the works.
Kidd’s connection with the Knicks runs deeper than people may remember. He spent the final season of his playing career in New York during the 2012–13 campaign, serving as a steady veteran voice for a Knicks team that made the second round of the playoffs.
He’s since coached the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Dallas Mavericks, where he helped guide the Mavs to the 2024 NBA Finals.
However, Kidd’s 2025 season ended in disarray.
The Mavericks missed the postseason entirely after GM Nico Harrison made the blockbuster move to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis , a decision Kidd reportedly opposed.
The team failed to recover from the seismic change, finishing outside the playoff picture after an injury-riddled season.
Now, with the Knicks needing a coach who can relate to Jalen Brunson and maximize a talented but demanding roster, Kidd’s name carries significant weight.
His reputation as a “relationship manager” and his pre-existing bonds in New York’s locker room, especially with Brunson from their Dallas days, make him an ideal candidate for the role.
The Mavericks still control Kidd’s contract and are unlikely to let him walk without a fight. But as the tension in Dallas continues to build, and the Knicks search for a fresh face with strong player rapport, this potential reunion in the Big Apple is quickly becoming more than just smoke; it might be fire.
