The New York Knicks coaching search has been an embarrassment for a team that reached the Eastern Conference finals. The Knicks, as widely publicized, have failed not only to find their next coach two weeks after relieving Tom Thibodeau of his duties but they have been rebuffed by all “their primary targets.” The Knicks will now interview two coaches, Mike Brown, and Taylor Jenkins, who have recently been fired from their vacant jobs.
“Former Memphis Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins and former Sacramento Kings coach Mike Brown will both interview with the organization next week, league sources told The Athletic,” per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “As of now, they are considered the leading candidates to replace Tom Thibodeau, whom the Knicks fired on June 3 shortly after their first Eastern Conference finals.”
Knicks Honing In On Their Next Head Coach? Evaluating The Next Candidates
Unfortunately, New York is back to looking at recycled coaches, as it seems the NBA trend has been for most of the league’s history. Granted, there have been several “out of the box” hires, such as JJ Redick and Tuomas Iisalo, and several teams have recently opted for the assistant route for their replacements.
Mike Brown’s Philosophy and Fit With Knicks
Brown has been successful in each of his three stops but has never been able to sustain it or take it to the next level. The 55-year-old has posted a winning record in eight of his nine full seasons. He owns a lifetime record of 454-304 and has a playoff mark of 50-40. His best stretch was with Cleveland, the LeBron James era, where he led the Cavaliers to four 50-win campaigns and the Eastern Conference finals in 2008.
Brown also had stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings. Brown directed the Lakers to the Western Conference semifinals in 2008 and was dismissed five games into the 2009-10 campaign. He also had a successful stint with Sacramento, leading the Kings to 45 wins in each of his first two seasons before being fired 31 games into this past season. The Kings snapped a 16-year playoff drought under Brown in 2023.
Brown’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Brown is a well-respected coach with strengths in defense and player development. Brown’s defenses typically thrive in the pick-and-roll, zone defense, and full-court press. So, it is no surprise that the Knicks are interested in talking with Brown.
Despite having several quality individual defenders, the Knicks were only averaged defensively. The Knicks struggled to keep their opponents out of the paint, and they were only average on the defensive glass. Part of the Knicks’ problem was the construction of their roster, as they lacked a true rim protector besides Mitchell Robinson. Their reserves aren’t known for defense.
Another plus for Brown is his ability to develop players. A key to the improvement of the Knicks’ bench will depend on the development of youngsters Pacome Diadet, Tyler Kolek, and Ariel Hukporti. As well as perhaps Anton Watson and Kevin McCullar if they remain on the squad — Watson and McCullar were on two-way deals and are restricted free agents this summer.
Like Thibodeau, Brown is an NBA lifer, and the Knicks could do worse than a former Coach of the Year. However, Brown struggles with handling star players, and that doesn’t bode well for the way the Knicks’ roster is constructed. The Kings struggled this season under Brown offensively, and part of the reason that he was fired
Verdict: Pass
Taylor Jenkins Philosophy and Fit With Knicks
Jenkins is an intriguing candidate. The 40-year-old worked his way up the coaching ladder after starting his career as an intern with the San Antonio Spurs. He began his career as an assistant coach with the Spurs’ D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros, before being promoted to head coach of the Toros for the 2012-13 season.
Jenkins served as an assistant coach in the NBA for six seasons, including five with the Atlanta Hawks. After spending the 2018-19 season on Mike Buddenholzer’s staff with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jenkins was hired by the Memphis Grizzlies. He did a nice job in his six seasons with the Grizzlies, as the Griz were once again regular playoff participants.
Jenkins led Memphis to four winning seasons, including two 50-win campaigns, and a 250-214 record overall. However, the Grizzlies went just 9-14 in three postseasons with Jenkins in the top seat, advancing past the first round once.
Jenkins secured the Grizzlies job partly due to his analytical prowess. Jenkins, known as a player-coach, likes to push the pace offensively, although defense and player development are his calling cards.
Memphis needed a “new voice,” and it wasn’t surprising that Jenkins departed. Several factors likely contributed to the decision to part ways with Jenkins, including the Grizzlies’ developing culture and inconsistency. The Grizzlies never advanced past the second round in Jenkins’ tenure.
Verdict: Definitely a contender.
Last Word
While Edwards III said that Brown and Jenkins are the frontrunners for the Knicks’ head coaching job, he noted that there is nothing imminent. Edwards added that a league source told him that the Knicks “are expected to start contacting organizations to speak with assistant head coaches about the opening.”
“The Knicks, league sources said, have given off the vibe that they believe some strong candidates are available who aren’t currently head coaches for other teams.”
In addition, Edwards mentioned there is a possibility the Knicks will make a run at the Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd and the Chicago Bulls’ Billy Donovan. If Kidd or Donovan somehow miraculously weasel their way out of their contracts, either would be a home run for the Knicks. However, I don’t expect either to become available.
Other Potential Candidates
Who else is believed to be on the Knicks’ radar? One name to watch is New York native Mark Jackson, who played at St. John’s and was the Knicks first-round pick in 1987. However, Brian Lewis of the New York Post is reporting there is no indication that Jackson is a candidate. He should be if he is not.
Jackson, endorsed by Basketball HOF’er Rick Pitino to get the job, had success with the Golden State Warriors before being replaced by Steve Kerr. Jackson was 121-109 with the Warriors as the Dubs improved each season under the 60-year-old. He led the Warriors to one 50-win season and two playoff appearances, going 9-10 overall in the postseason.
Lewis did mention a few other potential candidates for the Knicks with heading coaching experience: Michael Malone, Frank Vogel, and Budenholzer. Detroit assistant Luke Walton and Cleveland assistant Johnnie Bryant, who was Thibodeau’s associate head coach from 2020-24, were a couple of other possibilities for the Knicks, per Lewis.
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