If you are a New York Knicks fan, you’d be pretty upset with how the franchise’s season ended. The expectations went off the roof when Tom Thibodeau and his men knocked out the defending champions, the Boston Celtics. The Knicks were hoping to make their first NBA Finals appearance in over a decade. However, the Indiana Pacers halted their progress in the Eastern Conference Finals. So much so that the front office acted right away, firing the team’s head coach within a few days of the defeat. Now, with the Knicks’ head coaching spot vacant for about a week, speculation about Tom Thibodeau’s successor have already hit the market.

While you’d expect names of vacant coaches to be linked with the job, to everyone’s surprise, Jason Kidd seems to be on New York’s radar. The Mavs’ head coach is reported to be a top contender to replace Thibodeau. However, Stephen A. Smith thinks otherwise. The host of First Take and a die-hard Knicks fan, Smith suggested former Warriors coach Mark Jackson’s name for the new head coach of the Knicks. “This man was responsible for building Golden State before Steve Kerr was brought in and took over and piggybacked off of that and ascended to four championships,” Smith said. 

“No doubt. But Mark Jackson starred in Bishop Loughlin. Mark Jackson starred at St. John’s University. Mark Jackson was the rookie of the year playing for the New York Knicks. Mark Jackson was a preeminent voice on the NBA, and he knows and feels and vibes with New York. He’s a native.” Smith wants Jackson, who’s a New Yorker through and through, to take the job.

But it’s not totally because of his New Yorker status that Smith suggested his name; he also has a pretty good resume. Jackson has previously taken charge of the Golden State, leading them to two playoff appearances in three years before being replaced by Steve Kerr. 

However, Jackson has not coached since parting ways with the Warriors. 10 years later, it’s still a bit of a mystery why Mark Jackson has not returned to the sidelines despite his commendable record as a head coach. However, that hasn’t stopped him from taking up a different gig on the sidelines. Jackson has made a career in broadcasting, appearing alongside Mike Breen and Jeff Van Gundy. While some feel that Jackson might not be the right guy for the job, it seems that Stephen A. Smith had a vote that would go to the former Warriors head coach. Nonetheless, Jason Kidd remains at the top of the New York Knicks’ wishlist. 

However, a former Mavericks player has important advice for the Dallas head coach. 

Former Maverick Markieff Morris gives Jason Kidd valuable advice

It has been a happening week in New York. The Knicks front office has been working overtime as they wasted no time in gearing up for the new campaign. New York fired their long-time head coach, Tom Thibodeau, who led them to back-to-back 50-win seasons. Since then, their hunt for a new coach to lead the team has started. Any guesses on who’s at the top of their list?

Yes, it’s Dallas Mavericks’ head coach Jason Kidd. After Thibodeau’s surprising firing, the Knicks were expected to target a former player or a veteran coach who could lead them to the NBA Finals. However, due to a shortage of names that could fit this criterion, they’ve turned their heads to Jason Kidd. But Lakers big man and former Mavs star, Markieff Morris, thinks otherwise. In fact, the veteran center had a piece of advice for Kidd. 

“If I’m J. Kidd, the way that Dallas is set up right now, we are more in a win-now position than the Knicks. Obviously, the Knicks had a great year, but if you get Kyrie Irving back, you’ve got the number one pick with Anthony Davis, with PJ Washington and those guys, you’re ready right now to win the championship. Like Marcus said, J. Kidd, you know, he played for the Knicks, but he’s a laid-back guy. He’s a Texas guy. He’s a great coach, a great father, a great guy. I just think like he has all his tools in Dallas, his houses in Dallas. He’s been there a couple of years, and he’s just ready.” Morris stated. 

Morris does have a point. Jason Kidd just led the Mavericks to the Finals last season. Although the team’s best player has been traded, the Mavs do have all the pieces to compete at the highest level next season, especially after winning the draft lottery. So, it only makes sense for the Mavs’ head coach to stay in Texas, where he has more of a chance to build something instead of trying to take over the Knicks. The chances of him leaving Dallas are slim, but again, we’ve seen crazier things happen in the league.

So, we’ll have to wait and watch.