As the New York Knicks continue their search for a replacement for Tom Thibodeau as head coach, more names continue to emerge as potential candidates to fill in their vacancy.
Knicks could target Mike Brown and Luke Walton in head coaching search
New York can take a few different routes when it comes to their search, including looking at former head coaches. The New York Post’s Stefan Bondy reported two more potential candidates whom the Knicks could potentially target.
“Jason Kidd, another potential candidate, is also under contract with the Mavericks, but the possibility of him shaking loose is less clear at this point. Two random names I heard recently for the Knicks job are Mike Brown (currently unemployed) and Luke Walton (lead assistant in Detroit),” Bondy wrote.
NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Sacramento Kings
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Brown was the head coach of the Sacramento Kings for three seasons before being fired early this season. In 2023, he led the Kings back to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 and got them the third seed in the Western Conference, though they would lose to the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
Brown is an offense-heavy coach who schemes largely around a quick pace and high-volume three-point shooting. The Knicks were a team that played almost exclusively in the half-court and were towards the bottom in three-point attempts, so he could be someone who could enhance their offense.
The Knicks could benefit from hiring an experienced head coach
Walton, meanwhile, is currently the lead assistant coach on the Detroit Pistons staff. New York eliminated Detroit in the playoffs this season in the first round, which was a hard-fought six-game series in which nearly every game came down to the final shot.
Walton has five years of head coaching experience, coaching the Los Angeles Lakers from 2016-2019 and the Kings from 2019-2021. His head coaching resume isn’t the prettiest, as he has just a 166-241 record as a head coach, though the teams he coached were mostly young, rebuilding squads.
NBA: Detroit Pistons at Portland Trail Blazers
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As an assistant with the Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 season, Walton started the season as interim head coach while Steve Kerr was out recovering from back surgery, and he led them to a 39-4 start. That start likely led to him landing a job as a head coach, and now there is an opportunity for him to land a position as head coach on a title contender in New York.
Ultimately, the Knicks will scout a ton of different candidates before they land on the guy they believe can get them to a championship. Brown and Walton could be two candidates who can get the job done.