Mike Brown is set to be the next head coach of the New York Knicks, a decision that emphatically confirms the team’s future plans: They are leaning all the way into offense—even if it comes at the expense of the defense.
As first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Knicks are tapping Brown as Tom Thibodeau’s replacement after what was, by all appearances, a fairly long and thorough search.
The 55-year-old head honcho is fresh off a (relatively) successful stint with the Sacramento Kings. His tenure lasted just two seasons and change, but he won nearly 55 percent of his games at the helm, picked up Coach of the Year in 2022-23, and helped the franchise end a six-year playoff drought—all while establishing himself as one of the league’s more creative offensive minds.
That last part is most critical for New York’s purposes. Though already considered an offense-first team, the Knicks have plenty of room to improve on the more glamorous end.
Hiring Mike Brown is an investment in the Knicks’ offensive improvement.
Brown was previously viewed as a defensive-minded coach, and still retains some of that sheen. But his time as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors culminated in him exploring new frontiers on offense.
In his first full season with the Kings, they ranked first in points scored possession by a mile. And while they wound up slipping over the following two seasons, this was widely regarded as a symptom of ill-conceived roster construction.
The Knicks’ players are far more complementary on paper, which should make Brown’s job easier. He also did a nice job of implementing interplay between De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. This should help out a squad that struggled to forge and sustain synergy between Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.
New York’s investment in the offense doesn’t stop with him, though. Before coming to terms with Brown, it scooped up Jordan Clarkson on a veteran’s minimum deal, and Guerschon Yabusele using the non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
If that’s not a signal of their commitment to the offensive side of the floor, good luck figuring out what would be.
Mike Brown keeps in theme with the rest of New York’s offseason
Clarkson is the type of secondary from-scratch shot-maker and ball-handler last year’s rotation sorely lacked. He has also improved as a passer, is notoriously streaky, and most notably, is not someone you sign if you care about defense.
Yabusele offers the Knicks all sorts of lineup versatility, as someone who can soak up time at the 4 and 5 spots. His three-point shooting seems to be for real. He polished his touch from distance while playing overseas, and then banged in 38 percent of his triples last year, mostly from above the break, on five attempts per 36 minutes. He has traces of a downhill floor game, as well as some low-post chops, New York can utilize as well.
Again, though, this is an offense-first signing. Yabusele can hang with some smaller players in space, and has the strength to stay in front of bigger bodies. But quicker players with size can easily outmaneuver him, especially away from the ball, and he’s not much of a rim protector.
The Knicks are officially offense or bust
Leaning so starkly into offense seems counterintuitive for a team that just ranked fifth in points scored per possession. In reality, it’s not.
The Knicks placed 14th in offensive efficiency from January 1 onward, and their attack stalled out many times over during the playoffs. For a team built around Brunson and Towns, league-average-or-slightly-better scoring isn’t good enough. Not even close.
New York has now taken clear steps to change that. We will have to wait and see whether it pays off—and what becomes of the defense in the process.