The Dallas Mavericks found a miraculous safety net just as their organization was about to plummet. In the aftermath of the Luka Doncic, they landed the number one overall pick. Possessing it is priceless, as it gifts them a star for the future in Cooper Flagg. However, the process of deciding to trade Luka Doncic may have done more than just reputational damage.

Whenever Jason Kidd has spoken about the trade, he has shown support for Nico Harrison. They did come as a “package” for the Mavs. But despite being the head coach, he wasn’t confronted over trading Doncic. “I was told by my boss Nico that we were going to make a change,” he said about the move.

It appeared all was well. But there might have been some recoil after all. After relieving Tom Thibodeau from his post, the Knicks seem to be interested in Kidd. While there isn’t any formal report about the franchise approaching the Mavericks, insider Isaac Harris believes there could be some friction between Jason Kidd and Harrison.

“Before this past season, there were some real tensions between those parties when it came to decision making… I just think that everybody’s waiting at this point of like, hey, is Jason Kidd actually gonna be interested? And then if Jason Kidd is interested in the New York deal, I think then we’ll get the tweet from Shams or somebody that says they have officially requested to talk to Jason Kidd,” he said about the situation.

via Imago

There might be some tension as Kidd had just an hour to figure out how the Mavericks could cope with losing Luka Doncic. But with the number one pick and an exceptional roster when healthy, why would Kidd entertain leaving for New York? There are very few reasons that make sense, but Harris’ partner seems to think he has a motive.

Jason Kidd’s masterstroke

The Knicks’ head coach search has a theme. They want somebody with a track record of cultural transformation. They had Ime Udoka on the shortlist, but the Rockets shut that down swiftly. While Marc Stein does expect the Mavericks to do the same, there hasn’t been any direct statement from the franchise itself.

So the Locked on Mavericks crew wondered. They feel Kidd might have an incentive to move to New York and take over an ECF team. But if you ask Nick Angstadt, the former Nets head coach is doing so to define his authority.

“You know why? You know why we’re waiting on Jason Kid? He’s doing this for leverage. We know Jason Kid at this point. And Jason Kid in each organization he’s gone to has figured out ways to get more power to get front office control… Tim McMahon agrees with me. He recently said on one of his shows that, you know, it’s certainly feasible scenario that Jason Kent ends up with a restructured extension after all this,” he said on Locked on Mavericks.

It’s entirely possible that Kidd wants more control over the players he gets. Although the Mavericks have a great team, it’s vital for a coach to have players who fit their playstyle. We don’t need stats to prove that Luka Doncic was the nucleus for Kidd. Having experienced a blindsided deal, maybe he wants some control over team building.

In such a case, the offer from New York serves as perfect leverage. Kidd could essentially be coaching a big-market team with a well-oiled roster. With that potential, the Mavericks might be forced to not only give him control but also improve his terms to convince him to stay. The situation still seems to be in its early stages. But with the way things have gone in Dallas, we can’t write off another twist in the tale.