At long last, the Knicks have reportedly landed their new head coach.
According to multiple reports, New York has hired Mike Brown to replace Tom Thibodeau after SNY’s Ian Begley reported that Brown had made a “good impression” on Leon Rose and company during the interview process. Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported that Brown had earned himself a second interview, which clearly seemed to have gone well.
Brown, 55, was on a list of candidates that reportedly included former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, current Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, Pelicans assistant James Borrego, and Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori.
Brown was fired as Kings head coach after a 13-18 start to last season, which included a five-game losing streak. He had recently been given a contract extension before Sacramento’s rough start.
In three seasons with the Kings, Brown tallied a 107-88 record, and he coached LeBron James in his first stint with the Cavaliers, compiling a 305-187 record in six seasons in Cleveland, which included a second stint during the 2013-14 campaign. He then spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the Warriors before taking the head job with the Kings.
Brown will look to take the Knicks to the next step of their ascent, which would be a trip to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999. Under Thibodeau, New York went from laughingstock to consistent playoff team to a group that reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the franchise’s first time reaching that height in 25 years. But Rose, deadset on winning a title, believed a change was needed after bowing out to the Pacers for a second consecutive season, and he has tasked Brown with getting the Knicks to that ultimate goal.