The Knicks took a month to find a new head coach before eventually landing on Mike Brown, who was not their first choice to replace Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks wanted their search to be thorough, and while that's an easy way to justify the time it took, it also had its downsides. Chief among them is that most of the top available assistant coaches have been taken by other teams.
The Knicks absolutely needed to nail this hiring; that much is clear. Championship windows are shorter than ever, especially with the cap-crushing restrictions that come with keeping expensive teams together in today's game. If they wasted a year of that window by hiring the wrong coach, it would have been quite costly. For that reason, I recognize that it makes sense that they turned over every stone before landing on Brown.
However, during that month-long search, other teams were filling out their staffs with some of the game's best minds. Sean Sweeney, Jared Dudley, Frank Vogel, Popeye Jones, God Shammgod, and Jay Triano were among high-profile assistants who landed with new teams.
The Knicks already missed out on their top assistant target
The Knicks' front office and Brown both had serious interest in adding James Borrego to the sideline, reportedly to be Brown's top assistant. The New Orleans Pelicans made it clear that they wouldn't be willing to part with the promising coach, however.
SNY's Ian Begley reported that he does expect many of Thibodeau's old assistants to remain on Brown's staff this year. That said, the Knicks are leaving it up to Brown to determine who he wants to bring in to be his associate head coach.
Last year, Rick Brunson, the father of Jalen Brunson, held that position. This year, though, according to a report from Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Brunson will have a diminished role.
The associate coach position is important
While it may not seem like a big deal, the associate head coach is an important position. Kevin Whitey Gleason, who covered Brown when he was with the Kings, stressed on The Putback with Ian Begley that Brown relied heavily on his top assistants when he was in Sacramento.
It is also valuable to bring in a confidant whom the head coach chooses, rather than just inheriting an entire staff. So, while the Knicks needed to sign the right head coach, they may have limited his options for a staff by taking so long.