Every Team Known to Have Rejected Knicks' Request to Interview Their Coach

The Knicks have requested to speak with the head coach of multiple teams as they seek to replace Tom Thibodeau.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

After making the surprising decision to fire Tom Thibodeau fresh off an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks are searching for their next head coach. However, they are approaching the search in an unusual manner—by requesting to interview multiple head coaches from other teams that are, from what is known, not looking to leave their current team.

So far, the Knicks have requested permission to speak with Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka, and Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, per ESPN's Shams Charania. All five teams have rejected the Knicks’ request.

Here's a look at each coach's profile.

Coach Knicks Have Requested to Speak With	Current Team	Years of NBA Head Coaching Experience	Head Coaching Record
Jason Kidd	Dallas Mavericks	9 total, four with Mavericks	362-339
Chris Finch	Minnesota Timberwolves	5	209-160
Ime Udoka	Houston Rockets	3 total, two with Rockets	144-102
Quin Snyder	Atlanta Hawks	11, three with Hawks	458-363
Billy Donovan	Chicago Bulls	10, five with Bulls	438-362

Kidd was previously part of a similar scenario. While he was the coach of the Brooklyn Nets in 2014, he was allowed permission to speak with the Milwaukee Bucks. That summer, the Nets would trade Kidd to the Bucks for two second-round picks. With the Mavericks rejecting the Knicks' request to speak to Kidd, this scenario does not appear like it will be happening again.

Typically, teams find their next head coach by hiring a prominent or up and coming assistant. For teams that want a head coach with greater experience, they might choose a coach that was good, but was fired from their most recent position, like former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who won a title just two years ago.

Instead, the Knicks have been trying to speak with other head coaches that currently have jobs, but their attempts have proven unsuccessful thus far.

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