The New York Knicks’ search for a new head coach has taken several early hits, with top candidates either turning down interest or being denied interview access by their current teams. On Wednesday morning, the Dallas Mavericks became the latest franchise to block the Knicks’ pursuit, rejecting New York’s request to interview their head coach Jason Kidd, according to ESPN.
Kidd now joins other current NBA coaches like Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, whose teams have refused to grant the Knicks coaching interview access. All three coaches are under contract and coming off successful campaigns—Udoka ended Houston’s playoff drought, while Finch guided Minnesota to its second consecutive Western Conference Finals.
New York’s surprising dismissal of Tom Thibodeau last week—fresh off the team’s first trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years—triggered a high-profile coaching search. However, the Knicks have encountered immediate resistance in the NBA’s biggest market.
Former Villanova coach Jay Wright, who coached Knicks players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges in college, reportedly informed the team last week that he is not interested. UConn head coach Dan Hurley dismissed the idea as well, referencing past NBA coaching speculations with, “not another summer of that.”
Even Michael Malone, the Denver Nuggets’ championship-winning head coach and a Queens native, has been ruled out as a possibility by multiple reports. Despite speculative ties, sources have dismissed his candidacy entirely.
At this point, the Knicks have not officially interviewed any candidates, but former head coaches and current assistant coaches like Mike Brown, Luke Walton, Taylor Jenkins, James Borrego, and Johnnie Bryant are emerging as realistic options as the Knicks expand their crucial coaching search. While early setbacks have slowed momentum, New York appears committed to a cautious process. According to reports, the Knicks are not rushing to have a head coach in place by Summer League. Instead, they seem intent on conducting a thorough search in pursuit of the right fit and person for the job.