Stop me if you have heard this before, but the Knicks just got spurned by another potential candidate for their lead assistant coaching position under Mike Brown. According to SNY's Ian Begley, Indiana Pacers assistant Mike Weinar has informed the Knicks that he is withdrawing himself from consideration for the position. Weinar is the latest name the Knicks have lost out on, in what is developing into a concerning trend.
According to the New York Post's Stefan Bondy, Weinar ultimately chose to remain in Indiana for multiple reasons, including family considerations and a desire to continue to work under head coach Rick Carlisle, who has coached under for a number of years.
Since informing Rick Brunson that he would be demoted this upcoming season, after holding the associate head coaching position last season under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks have faced numerous denials as they attempt to round out the staff of newly hired Mike Brown.
Weinar is the latest of several denials for the Knicks
Weinar is not the first assistant to deny the Knicks' advances. Last month, they lost out on Pablo Prigioni, who decided to remain in Minnesota under Chris Finch. Before that, they were denied access to New Orleans Pelicans associate head coach James Borrego, who was considered a top target of Brown's.
The Knicks did recently make a big splash by landing Brendan O’Connor from the Los Angeles Clippers. O'Connor is considered a defensive savant and will be the coordinator on that side of the ball for Brown. That said, the Knicks are still actively searching for someone to be Brown's right-hand man as well as serve as an offensive coordinator.
At what point should Knicks fans worry?
There is still plenty of time left in the offseason for the Knicks to make a hire. That said, it is worrisome that they are still without an associate head coach, especially as the rejections pile up higher and higher.
According to Frank Isola, the Knicks are now focusing their attention on Chris Jent, who is an assistant for the Charlotte Hornets. Knicks fans may recognize the name, as Jent spent one season in New York as a player, back in the 1996-97 season. Isola confirmed that Jent would serve as the offensive coordinator for the Knicks if he landed the job.
Brown knows Jent quite well, as he served as an assistant on Brown's staff for multiple years in Cleveland.