Jonathan Macri, head of Knicks Film School, revealed in a tweet that during an upcoming podcast with Ian Begley of SNY, the first name Begley mentioned in connection with the Knicks' head coaching search was Mike Brown. It is the latest name in what has been a disastrous search for the Knicks. So far, the Knicks have been denied interviews with Jason Kidd of the Mavericks, Ime Udoka of the Rockets, and Chris Finch of the Timberwolves.
Just got done recording with the great @IanBegley. When I asked about New York’s coaching search, Mike Brown was the first name he mentioned, along with another coach with Knick ties who may surprise some people.
— Jonathan Macri (@JCMacriNBA) June 11, 2025
Pod up soon.
Mike Brown has nine years of experience as a head coach, most recently with the Sacramento Kings. He has a record of 454-304 over that span, good for a winning percentage of .599. He was fired by the Kings on December 27, 2024, during a five-game losing streak that had them sitting at 13-18.
It is clear that Brown was not the Knicks' first option, or second, or even third, for that matter. As they spent the start of their search requesting interviews with coaches who are currently under contract. That said, Brown does have qualities that some Knicks fans could get excited about, particularly his reputation for being a creative-thinking offensive coach.
What would Brown bring to the Knicks?
One of the main reasons you move off of a coach as good as Tom Thibodeau is that the Knicks' roster, as currently constructed, needs to lean into offense to be successful. An All-NBA pairing of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns is dripping with offensive potential, and an offensive-minded coach is the best path to unlocking the duo's full potential.
Brown was voted the NBA's Coach of the Year in the 2022-23 season, when he led the Kings to a 48-34 record. That season, the Kings had a league-leading offensive rating of 118.6. Interestingly enough, that Kings' roster was built around the duo of De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis, a point guard and center tandem that is known for their offensive talents and for their defensive weaknesses, sound familiar?
While both Brunson and Towns had great offensive seasons in 2024-45, both being named to All-NBA teams, something about them playing together never seemed to fully click. For example, the pair's pick-and-roll volume declined dramatically in the second half of the season and never re-appeared in the playoffs.
IF that is something Brown can not just resurrect, but improve, it is easy to see how he may be an appealing option for the Knicks' front office.
Other sources confirm Brown is a name to watch
James L. Edwards III of the Athletic also mentioned that Brown, along with former Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins, were names to watch in the Knicks' search.