The New York Knicks are on the board at last when it comes to finding someone who'll agree to an interview.
After being their overtures to poach currently gainfully-employed coaches Chris Finch, Ime Udoka, Jason Kidd, Quin Snyder and Billy Donovan were all shunned by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Houston Rockets, Dallas Mavericks, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls, this counts as a big win.
May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks executive chairman James Dolan sits court side during the first quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden.
May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks executive chairman James Dolan sits court side during the first quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, New York brass has now scheduled the "first formal interviews" to replace former five-year head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was canned after bringing the franchise to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a quarter century.
Charania reports that the Knicks will be talking to two coaching free agents about the position. Former Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins and ex-Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown are set to speak with the Knicks about the opening next week.
According to James L. Edwards of The Athletic, these are not frivolous interviews. Both Jenkins and Brown are considered to be "leading" contenders for the job.
Brown, 55, has won four championships as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors — making him a disciple of coaching greats Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr. As a head coach for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings, he boasts a 454-304 (.599) overall regular season record and a 50-40 playoff record (.556), which includes one NBA Finals appearance with Cleveland in 2007.
Jenkins, 40, was an assistant coach under another free agent, Mike Budenholzer, on the staffs of the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks. With Memphis — his first head coaching gig — Jenkins went 250-214 (.539) during the regular season and 9-14 across three playoff appearances.