Report: Knicks May Have Shot at Current Coaches

The New York Knicks' play at certain current NBA coaches may not be over yet.

Oct 28, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan reacts during the first half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Yogi Berra wasn't referring to the New York Knicks' ongoing search for a head coach when he famously declared "it ain't over 'till it's over," but it might apply to wear it currently stands.

The Knicks have gained a certain amount of notoriety for the way things have transpired since they ousted former boss Tom Thibodeau, as most of the chatter around the search for his successor has reportedly centered around the team seeking permission to interview current competitors.

To date, the Knicks are said to have tried to reach out to Billy Donovan (Chicago), Billy Donovan (Chicago), Chris Finch (Minnesota), Jason Kidd (Dallas), and Ime Udoka (Houston). Those attempts have been soundly rejected by their current employers. Intel from ESPN insiders Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, however, hints that their pursuit of at least two of those names may not be over yet.

Feb 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd talks with an official during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"What has become abundantly clear: New York did not have a plan in place when the decision was made to move on from Thibodeau," the joint report notes. "So what happens now? For starters, sources said, there's some belief that things could change in the cases of Kidd in Dallas and Donovan in Chicago."

As noted in the report, Kidd previously got out of one head coaching gig in 2014, when he moved from the Brooklyn Nets to the Milwaukee Bucks in a trade. It's also acknowledged that both Donovan and Kidd have experience with the Knicks organization: Kidd spent the final year of a Hall-of-Fame playing career in New York while Donovan played all 44 games of his NBA service in Manhattan during the 1987-88 campaign.

If the chase for Donovan, Kidd, and their contemporaries is truly dead, Bontemps and Windhorst list several usual suspects with no active ties to head coaching positions, including Mike Brown, Johnnie Bryant, Taylor Jenkins, and Michael Malone.

In addition to the coaching news, Bontemps and Windhorst acknowledged a previous report from Worldwide Leader colleague Shams Charania that the Knicks linger in the discussions about Kevin Durant's fate, which doesn't seem likely to last in Phoenix.

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