Jason Kidd Rumors Die As Cavaliers Make Coaching Announcement

Jason Kidd is no longer the coach of the Dallas Mavericks, but there is belief that his time as an NBA head coach is not over.

Before signing an extension with Dallas, Kidd received head coaching interest from around the league, with reports last summer saying the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic were considering the Hall of Fame point guard to take over their team.

Dallas had declined New York's request to interview Kidd last summer, but it's clear the Knicks are happy with their product this season. As it turns out, just when Kidd's time with the Mavs comes to a close at the hands of new front office leadership, the Knicks return to the NBA Finals for the first time in decades under Mike Brown.

Things worked out alright for the team in the Big Apple.

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Now, the team New York just swept in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers, were rumored to be thinking about Kidd as a candidate to be their next coach, as probed on ESPNRadio in Cleveland.

"I have a theory kind of confirmed by some people that I know around the league – the Cavs will seriously look at Jason Kidd," Aaron Goldhammer said.

That "kind-of" rumor was "reported" loosely to begin with. It has been struck down.

ESPN reports that Kenny Atkinson will remain the head coach of the Cavaliers. Atkinson is entering the third year of his five-year deal in Cleveland. He holds a 116-48 record in two seasons as head coach of the Cavs, and support remains "high for Atkinson from key officials within the organization," sources said.

This radio thought exercise built on the possibility of LeBron James returning to his hometown team for Year 24 as his contract wanes with the Los Angeles Lakers.

There's the possibility that Kidd could join Atkinson's staff as an assistant, though that remains a mystery.

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Atkinson made headlines just before Monday's Game 4 in Cleveland that stirred confusion among the fan base, saying he believed the Cavs had "analytically" taken control of the series despite being down 3-0.

"I think analytically, I think we've won the - I said three out of three [games in the series], we're two out of three in the expected wins," Atkinson said to reporters Sunday. "I don't know if you guys follow that - the expected score. We've won two out of three."

We see how that turned out as New York stormed to a 130-93 pummeling to send the Cavs home in four games.

Something else weird from these playoffs? Reports from inside the Cleveland locker room before Game 1 in New York said the Cavs players were "far more animated than they were postgame," as news spread that Kidd had mutually parted ways with the Mavericks.

Might the players have found Kidd as a more suitable voice than Atkinson? The timing is interesting, especially if the vibes were that noticeable by reporters. Cleveland's quick exit would have grown rumors of distaste between the Cavs players and their head coach, but Atkinson's return puts an end to those before they can begin.

Cavs players, it seems, have also struck down rumors discontent with Atkinson. Cleveland reached the East Finals this season for the first time since 2018, and first time with LeBron James off the roster since 1992.

"It's just hilarious," Mitchell said postgame on Monday. "We've done something that we haven't done since 2018. There's going to be criticism everywhere on Kenny, but why?... We did it, but we did it with Kenny. We didn't just go out there and coach ourselves.

"I love Kenny. We love Kenny. We ride with Kenny and ultimately that's all that matters."

"I have confidence - confidence in myself, first of all, confidence in the group," Atkinson said about his job security. "The roster talk, that's for down the line. Our front office has done a phenomenal job giving us a great roster. Obviously, there'll be decisions to be made like every summer, but I think we're doing pretty well with those decisions since I've been here. Just keep trusting. Trusting our process. Trust our collaboration."

When it comes to Kidd, his track record is notable, as he holds an NBA Finals appearance from just two years ago. Obviously, some extracurriculars could have dictated his future in Dallas, but it's clear that the rest of the league still upholds his reputation as a coach worthy of a head job.

With preliminary buzz - if you can even call it that - out of Northeast Ohio being extinguished, Kidd will keep waiting for his next opportunity.