When the Knicks parted ways with Tom Thibodeau, it seemed risky not to have a replacement in place. They reportedly have made their first move, as they are expected to formally request permission to speak to Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.

Longtime NBA writer Marc Stein reported that the Knicks are expected to reach out to the Mavericks for permission in the coming days, citing league sources.

Kidd still is under contract, having signed a two-year extension last summer that kicks in next season.

Kidd ended his playing career with the Knicks in 2013, helping them reach the Eastern Conference semifinals before retiring and immediately taking over as coach of the Nets. He went on to coach the Milwaukee Bucks for four seasons before serving an assistant for the Lakers and taking over in Dallas, leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season.

A source said the Knicks are expected to do their due diligence and speak to numerous candidates. They spoke to 13 coaches when they hired Thibodeau five years ago, even though he was always their first choice.

Kidd, who interviewed for the Knicks' job a that time, is believed to fill the pressing needs for a new coach. After concluding his Hall of Fame playing career as one of the best point guards in NBA history, he has been a successful coach, too. And perhaps most of all, he has developed relationships with the players whom he’s led — including Jalen Brunson.

In Kidd’s first season with Dallas, Brunson was the backup to Luka Doncic but accelerated his play under Kidd, starring in the postseason when Doncic was sidelined.

“Just understanding, having him here, he’s a competitor,” Kidd said when the two faced each other last season. “He’s not afraid of this stage, he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s a leader. He’s an All-Star. He’s everything that you want. And he’s getting better. I don’t know what else I can say more positive about him. He’s a guy you want on your side because he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s a winner.”

Even as a coach on the other side, he was picking out little intricacies in Brunson’s game.

“I think his work ethic, his belief in himself, his basketball IQ — he knows how to play the game,” Kidd said. “If there was anything to work on, it’s not just going left, being able to go right, and he’s worked on that. He’ll use his right hand. I know that sounds small, but that’s a big thing if you’re left hand-dominant to be able to go both ways. It just makes him harder to guard. But that’s who he is. He works at his game and he wants to be one of the best.”

Brunson still tells a story about their first meeting when Kidd took over in Dallas, recounting, “I think the relationship me and Jason have is very unique . . .  The first thing he told me when I met him, when he became head coach, he says, ‘What do you want to achieve?' And I told him I wanted to just contribute as best I can, yada yada yada.’ He said, 'No, we gotta get you paid.’ . . .  That’s what he said his first thing. So, I mean, he did that.”

Kidd did, even if it meant losing him to the Knicks. But it’s not just Brunson. Kidd has had a long relationship with a player who became a star during his tenure, Giannis Antetokounmpo. That's worth mentioning, given that the Bucks’ MVP could be on the trade market this summer.